Why Dan Matters
I got some interview questions a while back from a local newspaper reporter doing a story on Dan “the Chocolate Man” Schreiber. The article was published today, and I thought that it was a great piece on what he’s doing and where he’s headed. I was quoted, briefly, in the article, but I wanted to share some of what I wrote in response to Meg’s questions. The first was “Why is what Dan’s doing with chocolate important?”
My response:
Dan is a scientist. He’s a really smart guy. As much as he deals with high technology in his work & studies, he has a very deep appreciation for the traditional, some may say “old-fashioned” way of doing things. He makes fermented foods, like sauerkraut, that most people just don’t make any more. He is making chocolate using modernized traditional means–motorized stone grinding. Much of the chocolate we buy in stores is mass-produced from a set of industrial candy-making materials including chocolate, flavorings (often artificial), emulsifiers, and sometimes other chemicals as well. It’s made on a scale that requires consistency–every Hershey’s milk chocolate bar will taste the same. They blend cacao from different places and roast it and treat it in such a way that it will give the same taste and texture experience every time. There’s some value to that, but you also lose a lot of the characteristic flavors that chocolate can have. Once you pay attention to it, you can taste things in a hand-made single-origin chocolate that you’ll never taste in the Hershey’s from the checkout lane.
I’ve come to realize that it’s somewhat like wine. If you want to buy the cheap stuff, sure it will be “wine” and it can get you drunk, but the experience of even a $12 or $20 bottle can be so much more. Yes, artisan chocolate is more expensive, but like fine wine you (can) get what you pay for. Dan has an excellent reference “flavor wheel” on his site describing all the different flavors that may be found in your chocolate.
Aside from all that, Dan has already shown success in making great chocolate. If/when he can manage to grow this into a larger business, our community will benefit from it. Look at the Urbana farmers’ market, Common Ground Co-op, the various CSAs available–our community values high-quality, local, handmade food. Dan’s chocolate fits the bill.
November 11th, 2009 at 5:34 PM
I agree — what Dan’s doing is so great. I’m glad he got going and I hope he can keep going for as long as he wants to. The piece in the N-G was wonderful, I thought. Meg did a nice job; it was interesting reading, comprehensive, and the photos were good, too. And of course the quotes from you were fabulous.
November 14th, 2009 at 11:13 PM
Quality matters. In most things. But none more than food. It makes a difference in taste and pleasure. And often makes a difference in nutrients.
And, you know, it just adds to quality of life.
Cheers!
November 17th, 2009 at 8:41 AM
I couldn’t agree more, Jason! Dan is a great guy, the chocolate he’s making is great, and we all stand to benefit as his efforts expand. Who knows? this “hobby” could end up taking over his life and dipping us all in chocolate!