Simple Luxuries Thrive in Depressed Economy - ie. Chocolate

MSNBC and Entrepreneur.com have identified the truth. People keep eating chocolate during a recession. Even a Great Recession.

Why?

Because they can,

because they need to,

because they can afford at least one bite.

Per writer Amy Reinink:

Simple Luxuries Thrive in Depressed Economy

Beer, chocolate and video games. People find comfort on a tight budget with these recession-proof products.

Chocolate

Davidson Chocolateisnt the only chocolate company to enjoy a recent boom in business. Industry giants like Hersheys and Cadburys have also reported increased profits.

Elliott says Davidsons success stems from keeping the focus on quality, and by creating an atmosphere of luxury at an affordable price point.

If people come to really appreciate the quality of your product, they will see paying $1.35 for a truffle as a good value rather than a splurge, she says.

As soon as customers walk into Davidson Chocolate, they are greeted by a staff member--and by the aroma of the on-site chocolate production.

People just stand there and smell for a few minutes, Elliott says.

Then, whether the customer is buying three pounds of chocolate or three pieces, Elliott says owners and staff strive to create the feeling of, Oh, can we wrap your gift, or get you a gift card, or do anything else to make you feel special?

People have to go grocery shopping, Elliott says. They dont have to come into the store. We want them to feel like theyre being treated.

TasteTV Events include:

• The San Francisco International Chocolate Salon
• The Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon
• The Chicago Chocolate Salon
• The Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon
• The New Media Tastemakers Summit

This blog from the contributors, producers and correspondents at TasteTV at TasteTV.com. technorati tags:TasteTV, restaurants, video, content, food, Chocolate, wine, recipes, cooking, Restaurant Reviews, Chef, ITV, fashion, seafood

Inhale Your Chocolate?

Remember when "inhaling your chocolate" just meant you ate it very quickly?

No more. Now there's some smart guys who have figured out how you can literally inhale the product. Is it better that way? No clue.

For a Calorie-Free Chocolate Treat, Just Inhale

Bostonians got their first chance to sample Le Whif late last month at the TEDxBoston conference, when silvery packets containing a single brown inhaler were handed out to the 250 or so attendees. Le Whif inventor David Edwards, a Harvard professor of biomedical engineering, was one of the speakers, as was his former student Tom Hadfield, who made the case that over the course of human history, we've been eating food in smaller and smaller portions (whole dead mastodon -> Whopper Jr.) The next natural step, Hadfield argued, is breathing our food.

Via Boston.com

Here's the video to go with it:

TasteTV Events include:

• The San Francisco International Chocolate Salon
• The Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon
• The Chicago Chocolate Salon
• The Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon
• The New Media Tastemakers Summit

This blog from the contributors, producers and correspondents at TasteTV at TasteTV.com. technorati tags:TasteTV, restaurants, video, content, food, Chocolate, wine, recipes, cooking, Restaurant Reviews, Chef, ITV, fashion, seafood

New Chocolatiers for LA Chocolate Salon on October 11th.

New additions to the October 11th, 3rd Annual Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon!

They include the Chocolate Traveler, Sweet Beauty Organic Chocolate Sap, Ococoa Chocolates, Tifa, Xocai Chocolate, and (not chocolate), Zhena's Gypsy Tea.

There are also a number of new Tasting Panelists, who will be announced soon.

TasteTV Events include:

• The San Francisco International Chocolate Salon
• The Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon
• The Chicago Chocolate Salon
• The Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon
• The New Media Tastemakers Summit

This blog from the contributors, producers and correspondents at TasteTV at TasteTV.com. technorati tags:TasteTV, restaurants, video, content, food, Chocolate, wine, recipes, cooking, Restaurant Reviews, Chef, ITV, fashion, seafood

Chocolate Helps Heart Attack Survivors

Yet another report claiming chocolate can help you live longer and healthier...

Do we sound skeptical? No, just tired of seeing enough proof already.

Per US New and World Report:

Chocolate Helps Heart Attack Survivors

Eating chocolate can reduce heart attack survivors' risk of dying, say researchers who followed 1,169 Swedish men and women, ages 45 to 70, from the time they were hospitalized with their first heart attack in the early 1990s.

Those who ate chocolate two or more times a week were about three times less likely to die from heart disease than those who never ate chocolate, the study found. Smaller amounts of chocolate also offered some protection,Agence France Presse reported.

The study, which appears in the September issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine, is believed to be the first to demonstrate that chocolate can help prevent death in heart attack survivors.

"Our findings support increasing evidence that chocolate is a rich source of beneficial bioactive compounds," the researchers wrote.

So instead of that emergency tab of Aspirin, keep around a big dark bar of Amano or Guittard

TasteTV Events include:

• The San Francisco International Chocolate Salon
• The Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon
• The Chicago Chocolate Salon
• The Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon
• The New Media Tastemakers Summit

This blog from the contributors, producers and correspondents at TasteTV at TasteTV.com. technorati tags:TasteTV, restaurants, video, content, food, Chocolate, wine, recipes, cooking, Restaurant Reviews, Chef, ITV, fashion, seafood

Los Angeles Chocolate Salon Poster

TasteTV Events include:

• The San Francisco International Chocolate Salon
• The Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon
• The Chicago Chocolate Salon
• The Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon
• The New Media Tastemakers Summit

This blog from the contributors, producers and correspondents at TasteTV at TasteTV.com. technorati tags:TasteTV, restaurants, video, content, food, Chocolate, wine, recipes, cooking, Restaurant Reviews, Chef, ITV, fashion, seafood

Pelosi’s Secret Weapon in Health Care Debate: Chocolate

According to the New York Times:

In recent days, Ms. Pelosi and other Democratic leaders have experienced extraordinary tumult as they weathered criticism of the legislation from the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition on the right, and then from more progressive lawmakers who revolted against some of the compromises made to appease the Blue Dogs.

“You’ve had difficult meetings all week,” a reporter said. “Can you tell us about your methods to reach consensus?”

In an unguarded moment, Ms. Pelosi, whose deft political maneuvers catapulted her through the ranks of the House Democratic leadership to make her the first woman speaker in United States history, shared her secret.

“Chocolate,” she said.

And she was only half-kidding. Ms. Pelosi, who represents San Francisco, keeps stashes of Ghirardelli chocolate squares strategically placed throughout her suite of offices in the Capitol.

That's San Francisco style politics ... use gourmet foods to put your foes at ease.


TasteTV Events include:

• The San Francisco International Chocolate Salon
• The Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon
• The Chicago Chocolate Salon
• The Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon
• The New Media Tastemakers Summit

This blog from the contributors, producers and correspondents at TasteTV at TasteTV.com. technorati tags:TasteTV, restaurants, video, content, food, Chocolate, wine, recipes, cooking, Restaurant Reviews, Chef, ITV, fashion, seafood