Post From The Past. San Francisco’s Other Chocolate Company

First posted on October 4, 2009

Located inside the Ferry Terminal building on the San Francisco Embarcadero is Artisan Confections, the retail home of San Francisco’s best kept chocolate secret – Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker.

The company was founded in 1997 by Robert Steinberg and John Scharffenberger, with the aim of producing full-flavored dark chocolate using traditional methods, while controlling the process “from bean to bar.”

Scharffen Berger sources its own beans, working with cacao farmers in South American, Africa and Asia. While the company occasionally produces chocolate from a single source – at present, offering single origin chocolate from Ghana and from Vietnam – most chocolate is a blend of beans from different regions. The origin of the beans, together with the fermentation conditions and adjustments to the blend all contribute to the final flavor and texture of the finished chocolate.

Here is how Andrew McIntyre of Artisan Confections explained the difference between single origin and blended chocolate.

“You can deprive the body, but the soul needs chocolate.”

– Dagoba Organic Chocolate

Post From The Past. Probiotic Pickles

First posted on September 30, 2009

Probiotic: A microbe that protects its host and prevents disease. (www.medterms.com)

It doesn’t take much more than a stroll down the supermarket dairy case aisle to realize that probiotics are hot. A quick glance at the yogurt display reveals competing claims by two major international dairy brands, Dannon (Danone in France) and Yoplait.

Nor is the marketing of probiotic foods limited to the dairy industry. Even sour pickles are getting into the act, as we discovered during our recent stroll through the San Francisco Farmer’s Market.

The Happy Girl Kitchen Co. is a Central California packing company that specializes in preserving and packing local organic produce. The company sells its wares over the Internet as well as at Farmer’s Markets in Santa Cruz and in the San Francisco Bay area.

While the Company’s web site makes no probiotic claims for its dill pickles – or any other of its fermented products – the Happy Girl who we met at the Farmer’s Market told us the following:

Happy Girl is not alone in claiming health benefits for fermented dill pickles and other fermented non-dairy foods, such as sauerkraut and various ethnic pickled vegetables. A quick Google search turns up numerous blogs, web sites and other articles on the subject.

While some of the claims may be exaggerated, the fundamental principles are sound. Yogurts, other fermented dairy products (e.g., cheeses, buttermilk and kefir), pickles and sauerkraut result from the growth of lactic acid-producing bacteria – notably Lactobacillus. The benefits of consuming foods that have been fermented by lactic acid bacteria are several:

Lactic acid is a natural preservative
While growing, Lactobacillus produces compounds (known as prebiotics) that encourage the development of helpful bacteria in the intestinal tract
Many Lactobacillus bacteria produce natural anti-microbial compounds (known as bacteriocins) that act against pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes
The presence in the intestines of probiotic bacteria – including many Lactobacillusbacteria – aids digestion and helps lactose-intolerant individuals to digest dairy-based products

Unfortunately, not all Lactobacillus are created equal. Not all strains produce effective bacteriocins. And some strains are better able than others to survive the harsh acid environment of the stomach and take up residence in the intestines. In a completely natural fermentation, there is no way to predict which strains of lactic acid bacteria will take charge.

Despite these caveats, the health benefits of prebiotics and probiotics are well established, and the role of Lactobacillus strains and other lactic acid bacteria in aiding digestion has been recognized for many years. And whether or not a particular batch of pickles contains a strongly probiotic Lactobacillus strain, it still can be counted on for some prebiotic benefits.

Happy Girl‘s customers can keep on smiling.

Post From The Past. Bruschetta: It’s What’s For Lunch

First posted on September 27, 2009

One of the joys of travel – for me, anyway – is visiting local food markets and farmer’s markets. Whether in SouthEast Asia or the south of France, these markets are a reflection of local culture and cuisine.

A street market in Luang Prabang, Laos

A fruit stall in Cannes, on the French Riviera

One of the most impressive farmer’s markets I have seen is held every Tuesday and Saturday in and around the San Francisco Ferry Terminal building at the foot of Market Street. A determined grazer can enter the market hungry and emerge replete, having experienced a savory blend of fruits, preserves, salsas, cheeses and baked goods.

Samples of goat cheeses – free for the asking

A variety of salsas and dips on offer to passers-by

The ripe strawberries were very tempting

A more sophisticated grazer could opt for champagne and caviar

The Bruschetta stand was especially popular around noon. The open-faced Tuscan-style sandwiches were heaped with fresh tomatoes, sliced onions, capers and crumbled cheese.