Chocolate.
Chocolate seems to play a very big part in this family. I wasn’t so fussed on it until I met my husband, otherwise known as Mr Chocolate. He doesn’t need chocolate, chocolate needs him. If he stopped consuming, the whole chocolate industry may just tumble down. So it’s safe to say after we first got together, he has slowly infiltrated my chocolate past, to a home now that is not complete unless there is a little dark something hidden away somewhere.
The monkeys came along and they too have inherited the dreaded chocolate gene. Other sweets thrown aside and scorned, their eyes only on the good stuff…. chocolate.
Monkey Boy is rather partial to a piece of dark chocolate, and will happily savour it, holding it in his hand and slowly nibbling at the outsides. The Little Monkey will suck up anything in his path to get to it. With a spark in is eye, and very fast feet… “Choklo! Choklo!…. CHOKLO!”
A friend recently challenged Mr Chocolate on a Chocolate Extravaganza (who could eat the most), I was quietly skeptical, but remained cheerfully optimistic. My pint sized girl friend had not seen my man in action you see. She thought her modestly gutsy efforts in consuming a packet of Tim Tams would match the “why stop when there is still more” attitude of my husband. The Chocolate Extravaganza was cancelled. Scared off, with the rather sombre face of mine, and whispered words of “You don’t have a chance…. you will NEVER win against him…”
When I first met Mr Chocolate, any chocolate would do. Sure he had his favourites, but when it came down to the line, he wasn’t that fussy. Years have gone by, and more than a few kilos of chocolate later, that line is in a completely different position. We try to be as mindful as possible, on what brands and types we buy. A sucker for dark chocolate, we really like Whittakers Dark Ghana. It’s a New Zealand company, that uses Fair Trade Chocolate, readily available and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. The Dark Ghana comes from Ghana (duh) and is bought through the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative. This Fairtrade certified cooperative of cocoa farmers has 45,000 members. Selling this way keeps the prices higher and more stable for the seller. Also investing in better farming methods that are more sustainable for their themselves and their industry.
Its great that there are more and more chocolate companies looking at changing their sourcing methods and encouraging fairtrade practices. This must mean that through greater awareness people are changing things with their spending dollars. An example is Cadbury . Cadbury Schweppes is one of the largest producers of chocolate in the world and has recently started producing a fair trade option for their Dairy Milk range in Australia. Be it a little controversially.
I know there are loop holes in these methods and problems will remain with things like child labour, but the more people talk about it and the more the consumer makes a choice with their shopping dollar the more, (I am ever hopeful) changes will come of it. There are more and more fairtrade chocolate options being made available, just have a peek.
cityhippyfarmgirl 
My hubby loves to munch on the chocolate I have bought with the intention of baking with…leaving the foil wrapper behind, so I don’t know we’re out until I have half the cake prepared, argh! Men!
I saw an interesting doco on ABC a week or so ago on child labour in the chocolate industry. Very eye-opening and quite shocking.
I notice that Aldi stocks fair trade chocolate which I am pretty happy with, (although how do we know how fair their fair trade is?). I have been thinking of F/T cocoa lately..do you know where I should be looking for that? We go through SO much of it!
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I saw the same documentary – it was very sad but something I have feared has been happening for a long while.
Not a big chocolate eating family- unless of course you mean chocolate ice-cream…..
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Yep I saw that on 4 Corners as well, really really interesting.
Christine- Abundant Earth does an organic cocoa, whether its fair trade I don’t know? They also do a drinking chocolate, which I got my husband to drink rather than Milo. I have the same issue with cocoa powder, I resent the only option being Nestle at the supermarket.
http://www.vitaco.com.au/topics/organic/products/alternate/organic+nutrition/organic+cocoa+powder.htm
With the child labour, I really hope the more it is talked about, the more things would change within the industry. I’m sure there are many loop holes, but its all hopefully a good start.
NImity- you know you want to come over to the dark side…
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My partner is a chocoholic. I was craving some chocolate and asked him if he had any. He quietly reached into his backpack and pulled five different kinds of chocolate and explained each one. I used every muscle in my body not to laugh.
I really like the Whittakers range of chocolates. they are fantastic eaten on their own or with baked goods. However, the Dark ghana is too bitter for me 😦
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Amy, thats so funny! A boy does need to have options..
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Sigh…the chocolate gene runs pretty deep here too. And like you, over time we’ve become fussy as well – fussy to the point where my husband and sons will now only eat chocolate I temper at home, and in my husband’s case, it has to be a blend of three different chocolates before he’s happy! 🙂
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Thats awesome Celia. Would keep you busy but I love that their tastes are so developed they only eat yours. Tell me, do your boys know how to temper? Have you taught them?
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Hehe…no. I’d love to say they’re more interested in cooking, but they really aren’t. Pete (husband) is definitely great in the kitchen, but he has his things (jam making, main meals) and I have mine (baking, chocolate making). Part of my aim for writing the blog is the thought that one day my sons might want to know how to make the things they’ve eaten, and there will be some reference for them when they’re ready! 🙂
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Loving your blog!! I try to be as consistent with buying fairtrade cocoa and coffee products as possible. We seem to have a lot of choice in my suburb. I pick up fairtrade cocoa and drinking choc at Oxfam in the city every so often as well. I didn’t know about Whitakers being Ft – is it available here?
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*aw shucks* Thank you for taking the time to read it.
http://www.whittakers.co.nz/fair_trade_policy.html
Whittakers I can buy at woolies (safeway in Vic??) but not at coles. Have a peek, it will be on the bottom or top shelves… until I move it descreetly to the middle.
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