Cao Chocolates Sweet Blog

Chocolate Cyber Monday 2011

2011-11-27T16:55:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for Cyber Monday 2011?

Because We are.

Exciting Cyber Monday offer: 35%OFF in any of our products. Shop online at http://www.caochocolates.com using code CYBERMONDAY2011), by phone at (305) 879-0281 or by email at info@caochocolates.com.

You will get the discount!

Don't miss this opportunity. Valid only 11/28/2011 from 6:00am to 11.59pm.

We can deliver or ship nationwide your orders on time for Christmas! Ask us!

The Power of Thank You

2011-01-10T17:43:00.000-08:00

2011 is here and we would like to share with our readers a great article from INC Magazine. In a few words this article gives you a vision about be grateful.

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I wanted to use my last column of the year to discuss the value of "Thank You." Many start-ups and small businesses survive and thrive via referrals and word of mouth. I'll use a personal example today to show how one business keeps its word-of-mouth pipeline full.

Earlier this year, our home air conditioning system failed during one of the hottest periods of the summer. We called our regular air conditioning and heating service, and they dispatched a technician who could not fix the problem. Seems the fan motor was bad, the unit was old, and they could not remove the fan blade from the motor. It was going to be at least a week to find a new fan and motor part, get someone out there, and get us some relief. And to add insult to injury, it was going to cost north of $600 in addition to the current service charge.

At that point, angry, frustrated and very, very hot, I went searching for an alternative. I contacted the company that makes our air conditioning unit, and they referred me to a web page with authorized local techs. A small independent shop answered my call, and the owner himself came out to fix the problem the next day (incredible in that heatwave). Somehow, he was able to remove the fan from the motor, and he had a spare motor in his truck that was a suitable substitute. In addition to the quick fix he provided, he was courteous, quick, and paid attention to small touches like removing his shoes before coming in from outside where the cooling unit is located. As a bonus, his work cost was about half our regular company's quote. As the air conditioner started to cool our house, we were very satisfied customers.

As a small business columnist, I always like to talk to owners about business and challenges. My technician works in a family-owned business that has a very small staff, and he does most of the repair and contracting work himself. He does little marketing, but told us that a way to thank him was to refer him to other customers - most of his business comes from word of mouth.

Fast forward a week or so later, and I'm commuting to New York on a train, when I see a neighbor. He told me he was having an air conditioning system issue. I referred our new service tech, and my neighbor hired him. A few weeks later the neighbor told me the tech had replaced their entire unit. The cost was in line with what he had expected, work was done professionally, and he was quite happy with the way things turned out.

I might have forgotten this whole incident until this week, when I received a holiday card from the technician with a hand written thank you for the specific referral and a Home Depot gift card encouraging us to keep passing him to other who might need air or heating work done.

Now, I don't need to be bribed to refer someone who does good work, but this showed me how this tech keeps his pipeline full. He uses the power of "Thank You" to keep people thinking about him. There are so many different ways to do this, from gifts to notes, emails, and especially to referring business back to those who sent you work.

I hope you can benefit from this quick lesson in the spirit of the holidays. I also wanted to take a moment to thank you for spending time reading this column, commenting, passing my writing on, connecting with me on Facebook and Twitter, and most of all, working hard on your start-ups. You inspire me every week and keep me working on this column.

I wish you much success in the new year!

Source: http://m.inc.com/blogs/16755/

Impress Your Clients With Corporate Chocolate Gifts

2010-09-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

Many of us find ourselves in a fix when we have to decide what to give to clients and others connected to a corporate organization. On the one hand, if a gift does not please the receiver, then the purpose of spending the money will not be served. On the other hand, if a gift is too personal, it will look unprofessional. One of the best things to do in such a situation is to opt for corporate chocolate gifts because chocolate is more than something that tastes good. The fact that the Peruvian independence day was celebrated with a huge flag made entirely of chocolate proves that people associate it with other feelings too.

There are several types of corporate chocolate gifts that you can choose from. If you are hosting an event or putting up a stall at an event where many people will come, you will want the invitees to remember you after they have met many representatives. One of the best ways of making people remember you is not by burdening them with brochures and printed material. The secret is to give them something that will remind them of you. This will induce them get in touch with you on their own. Many people give away things like pen stands and mouse pads. However, chances are high that people already have many such items and are least bothered to remember the company that has given them one more generic gift.

However, the good thing about chocolates is that everyone likes it. If they enjoy 'having' your gift, they are more likely to remember you in a positive way and more likely to get back to you when required.

It is important that you give the best quality chocolate corporate gifts because the reputation of your company will be at stake. One of the best ways of getting good chocolate at affordable rates is to purchase from online dealers. They also offer to customize your gifts by embossing the name of the company and other promotional content on the bars or coins that you may give. Some of the better dealers also provide good packaging options according to the needs of your company. The best part of buying from these dealers is that you will not have to leave your office to procure the products. All you have to do is place the order and the products will the shipped to you.

Chocolate Favor Store offers a large selection of corporate chocolates at unbeatable prices.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melville_Jackson

What do you mean Chocolate Day??

2010-09-04T18:59:00.000-07:00

Can you actually make a whole day dedicated to chocolate?? Well there are actually quite a few days that let you celebrate chocolate. There is Chocolate Day on July 7th and National Chocolate Day on October 28th. There is also World Chocolate Day on September 4th. So you have a least three wonderful days to indulge. Take your time. Eat slowly and as much as you like. Just blame it on the day!!!

So many wonderful gooey chocolate treats. In July you might want to try some cool treats like chocolate ice cream or Chocolate soda.

Go ahead, enjoy your chocolate fix. All DAY Long!!

Health Benefits of Chocolate

2010-08-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

Why is Dark Chocolate Healthy?:

Dark Chocolate is very healthy! Eat chocolate!

Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.

Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate:

Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are:

• Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.

• Lower Cholesterol: Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent.

Other Benefits of Dark Chocolate:

Chocolate also holds benefits apart from protecting your heart:

• it tastes good

• it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure

• it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant

• it contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants

Doesn't Chocolate Have a lot of Fat?:

Here is some more good news -- some of the fats in chocolate do not impact your cholesterol. The fats in chocolate are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid:

• Oleic Acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil.

• Stearic Acid is a saturated fat but one which research is shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol.

• Palmitic Acid is also a saturated fat, one which raises cholesterol and heart disease risk.

That means only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is bad for you.

Chocolate Tip 1 - Balance the Calories:

This information doesn't mean that you should eat a pound of chocolate a day. Chocolate is still a high-calorie, high-fat food. Most of the studies done used no more than 100 grams, or about 3.5 ounces, of dark chocolate a day to get the benefits.

One bar of dark chocolate has around 400 calories. If you eat half a bar of chocolate a day, you must balance those 200 calories by eating less of something else. Cut out other sweets or snacks and replace them with chocolate to keep your total calories the same.

Chocolate Tip 2 - Taste the Chocolate:

Chocolate is a complex food with over 300 compounds and chemicals in each bite. To really enjoy and appreciate chocolate, take the time to taste it. Professional chocolate tasters have developed a system for tasting chocolate that include assessing the appearance, smell, feel and taste of each piece.

Chocolate Tip 3 - Go for Dark Chocolate:

Dark chocolate has far more antioxidants than milk or white chocolate. These other two chocolates cannot make any health claims. Dark chocolate has 65 percent or higher cocoa content.

Chocolate Tip 4 - Skip the Nougat:

You should look for pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel or other flavorings. Avoid anything with caramel, nougat or other fillings. These fillings are just adding sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate.

Chocolate Tip 5 - Avoid Milk:

It may taste good but some research shows that washing your chocolate down with a glass of milk could prevent the antioxidants being absorbed or used by your body.

Sources: Chocolate Manufacturers Association; Journal of the American Medical Association

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide

Chocolate and Your Pets

2010-08-08T16:51:00.000-07:00

Your dog may love the taste of chocolate, but don't let him have any. Chocolate can be dangerous for many animals, but especially dogs, because it contains theobromine, a stimulant naturally occurring in the cacao bean. Consumption of theobromine can lead to toxicity and even death in some animals.

Theobromine is chemically similar to caffeine. While safe for humans, other species, such as dogs, lack a specific enzyme and can't metabolize theobromine. Overdoses of theobromine can cause seizures and convulsions.

It also may be dangerous for cats to ingest theobromine. However, they are not as much a worry as dogs, who are known for their robust eating habits. Cats are more discriminating in their diets and are unlikely to devour a significant quantity of chocolate.

If you suspect your dog has eaten a sizeable amount of chocolate immediately contact your veterinarian. Individual canines vary in their sensitivity to theobromine. Here is an overview of how much chocolate can pose a problem:

•4 to 10 ounces of milk chocolate or 1/2 to 1 ounce of baking chocolate for small dogs, such as Chihuahuas and toy poodles.

•1 to 1 1/2 pounds of milk chocolate or 2 to 3 ounces of baking chocolate for medium-sized dogs, like cocker spaniels and dachshunds.

•2 to 4 1/2 pounds of milk chocolate or 4 to 8 ounces of baking chocolate for large dogs, including collies and Labrador retrievers.

Source: www.allchocolate.com

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Chocolate May Make Some Strokes Less Likely

2010-08-02T06:20:00.000-07:00

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

In news that's sure to delight chocolate lovers, a Harvard study finds that a couple of squares of dark chocolate a day might reduce the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke, by 52 percent.

Unfortunately for chocolate fans, though, the same research also found that chocolate does not appear to have a protective benefit for the most common type of stroke.

People who have a stroke have either an ischemic or a hemorrhagic stroke. An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain becomes blocked, either partially or completely. This type of stroke accounts for about 80 percent of all strokes, according to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Hemorrhagic strokes, which occur when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and bleeds into the brain, make up about 20 percent of all strokes.

"There are several possible mechanisms, but the effect of rich cocoa on cardiovascular health seems to be through its effect on blood pressure, and the capacity to improve the flexibility of the blood vessels," said study author Dr. Martin Lajous, a doctoral candidate at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

"In the context of an appropriate intake, eating small amounts of cocoa could be beneficial," Lajous said.

But Lajous added that "it's difficult to understand why it appears to just benefit hemorrhagic stroke."

The findings were to be presented Wednesday at the American Heart Association's conference on cardiovascular disease epidemiology and prevention in San Francisco.

The benefit attributed to cocoa stems from substances it contains known as flavonoids, which are believed to help protect against certain cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as blood pressure and blood clotting.

In the study, the researchers reviewed data from 4,369 middle-age French women, none of whom had any evidence of heart disease at the start of the study in 1993. The women's average body-mass index was 23, a number that's considered normal weight.

When the study began, the women provided a detailed account of the foods they'd eaten over a 24-hour period. The researchers calculated the cocoa intake by looking for seven foods in particular: plain chocolate bars, candy bars, chocolate drinks, chocolate mousse, chocolate-filled croissant, cookies with chocolate and cakes containing chocolate.

In the next 12 years, 493 of the women were diagnosed with some type of cardiovascular disease: 200 had heart attacks and 293 had a stroke. Of the strokes, 189 were ischemic and 91 were hemorrhagic.

After adjusting the data to account for known cardiovascular disease risk factors -- such as smoking, physical activity, weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels and diabetes -- the researchers found no statistically significant association in the risk for cardiovascular disease between the highest levels of cocoa consumption and the lowest.

However, when they broke down the data by type of stroke, they found a statistically significant reduction for women who'd had hemorrhagic strokes and had consumed the most chocolate. In women who ate more than 9 grams of chocolate daily, the risk for hemorrhagic stroke was 52 percent lower than it was for those who consumed less than 0.1 grams of chocolate a day.

Lajous said that 9 grams is about two or three squares of chocolate, and he noted that the French women in the study usually consumed dark chocolate, containing about 35 percent cocoa.

"Our results are intriguing, but need to be confirmed in other studies," he said.

And not everyone is on board with the concept.

"It would be great if chocolate really worked to prevent heart disease and stroke, but I think it's wishful thinking," said Dr. Keith Siller, medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Care Center at the New York University Langone Medical Center in New York City. "Although the idea that flavonols -- the bitter part of the chocolate -- can help your cardiovascular health may have some merit, there's no strong scientific proof."

Also, he's puzzled by the study's finding that cocoa might protect against one type of stroke but not the other. "It's hard to understand why there's no benefit for heart disease and ischemic stroke," Siller said. "Anything that helps stroke should help both types."

People who add such things as chocolate or red wine to their diet with the hope of helping to prevent heart disease, he said, also need to be aware that they're taking in additional calories. "If you start adding weight, you may give yourself additional risk factors for stroke and heart disease," Siller said.

More information:

The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about stroke.

SOURCES: Martin Lajous, M.D., doctoral candidate, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston; Keith Siller, M.D., medical director, Comprehensive Stroke Care Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York City; March 3, 2010, presentation, American Heart Association's Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention Annual Conference, San Francisco

http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=636617

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Great Movements with Chocolate

2010-07-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Martini

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

3 ounces vodka plus 1 tablespoon vodka or vanilla vodka

1 teaspoon of cacao nibs, finely ground

1 teaspoon turbinado sugar

1 1/2 ounces clear crème de cacao

Directions:

Use a spice or coffee grinder to grind the cocoa nibs. You will have some of the nib and sugar mixture leftover. Try sprinkling it on ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Pour 1 tablespoon vodka onto a small plate or saucer. Stir together the nibs and sugar on another small plate. Dip 2 martini glasses in the vodka to coat the rims and then dip the rims into the nib mixture.

Stir together the remaining 3 ounces vodka and the crème de cacao with ice in a cocktail shaker until cold. Strain into the martini glasses. Serve immediately.

Wine and Chocolate Pairings

2010-07-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

Wine and Chocolate Pairings

Matching Flavor Nuances

Wine and chocolate paired together? They're natural companions. Both have complex flavors and notes, both have similar components and nuances in common. A wine and chocolate pairing follows the same kind of process as a wine or chocolate tasting, except you taste both together.

Examine the attributes of the chocolate, and follow the same steps as you would in a classic chocolate tasting. That includes noting the aroma, listening for the snap when you break it and checking the shine and glossiness. Before tasting it, though, take the same notice of the wine.

Swirl the wine in the glass: be aware of the color and the viscosity.
Sniff the wine and note the bouquet and flavor components.
Sip the wine; let it fill your mouth. Notice the wine's complexity, which flavors come to mind.
Now take a small bite of the chocolate, let it sit on your tongue.
When it just begins to melt, sip the wine again and swirl together with the chocolate. Just like in a chocolate or wine tasting, the flavors are released in stages.
The first notes should be filled with fruity acidity (from the grapes in the wine, and the cacao beans in the chocolate).
Watch the flavors that unfold in this middle stage, and look for a sweetness phase.
The finish should be identified by tannins, flavor notes common to both wine and chocolate.

Many of the same flavor notes you experienced in your chocolate tasting will emerge during the pairings. You'll observe fruity, nutty, spicy and/or woody notes. You may even detect roasted flavors specifically identifiable with chocolate. Pair lighter chocolates with lighter wines; darker chocolates with full-bodied wines. Go from light to dark in your tasting session, starting with milk or lower percentage cacao chocolates and their corresponding wines.

Pairings for Dark, Bittersweet and Semisweet chocolate
• Zinfandel
• Syrah
• Tawny Port
• Armagnac
• Cognac

If you're looking to pair up Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Sangiovese reds, they need to be well-aged to suitably pair with darker chocolates.

Pairings for Milk Chocolate
• Merlot
• Riesling
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Dessert wines

More Pairings Pairing chocolate with fruit is a natural. Some experts prefer chocolate and beer combinations to chocolate and wine. In Europe, bread and chocolate are common companions. Chocolate and coffee are meant to be together, while chocolate and tea are an unlikely match that some experts swear by.
Source allchocolate.com