What role do aromas play in advertising? Fast food restaurants have been accused of additional aroma enhancers to their products and to their exhaust systems so that they can be smelled for miles around. Bakeries have aromas associated with them, though some bake items throughout the day so that the smell lingers. Other stores are using aromas as marketing or to influence customer behavior. What do you think? Is this effective?
I think that stores do use aromas in order to influence marketing and customer behavior. I believe that it is rather effective. For example, I do not think that stores such as The Body Shop or Bath and Body Works would get the business they do if they did not lure customers there with their fresh smells. Also, stores such as Hollister and Abercrombie entice people through their doors because of the poignant smells of cologne. Our noses are attracted to these smells and thus we find ourselves at these establishments. I think that it is effective in getting people through the doors of stores and thus causes people to purchase merchandise.
Were you aware of this type of marketing? Is it effective? Is this ethical?
I am aware of this type of marketing. I believe that it is effective as a marketing tool. I think that it is ethical. Although it may seem manipulative I think that marketing, as a business, has the right to play on the sense of smell. Just like commercials use propaganda like beautiful people and extravagant vacations to sell their products, stores have the right to entice people through the sense of smell. However, I was not aware that there was so much emphasis on this side of marketing. There is a much wider away of information on this topic than I previously thought.
How does the sense of smell work?
Each time we inhale, air comes up through the nostrils and flows over the bony turbinates which contain millions of olfactory receptor neurons. This is what is known as the olfactory epithelium. There are cilia on the olfactory neurons that contain specialized proteins. These proteins bind odorants, which are specific molecules. When there is the right interaction between these odorant molecules and the receptors, a structural change takes place. This change sends an electrical signal to the brain which the brain interprets as smell.
What is smell loss and what happens when you lose it?
Smell loss is also known as Anosmia and is the complete loss of the sense of smell. If smell is lost, it can have a profound loss on the person’s quality of life. Loss of the sense of smell not only effects the olfactory system, if effects memories and feelings as well. Smell enhances the world around each and every one of us and a loss of smell would take a lot of the excitement and vibrancy out of life.
What do its authors say about the ethical considerations of scents in marketing?
The author infers that there are ethical considerations that need to be strongly considered in terms of scents in marketing. One of the ethical considerations is the idea that retailers are influencing consumer behavior without the consumer’s knowledge and recognition. Also, researchers are using covert persuasion to influence purchasing, which the author does not consider to be right. Another ethical consideration is providing marketing stimuli to scent marketers in order for consumers to be unknowingly persuaded. The author also brings up the issue of scent marketers making claims regarding their scent products that may lead the retailers to purchase products that do not in fact provide the promotion results. Finally, the author concludes that scent marketers should not provide marketing stimuli to retailers that persuade the consumer without their knowledge. The author states that these ethical considerations must be taken into account because scent marketing has an effect on society, organizations, and the individual. This shows that it is not simply the consumer being affected by this marketing it is the retail seller as well. This is an all-encompassing issue that is a much larger industry than I ever thought.
“Senses and Shopping”:
Describe one example in which marketers ―created new solutions for busy lifestyles. What do they appeal to in people?
Marketers appeal to people with busy lifestyles by exciting their senses. They create displays that really “put on a show of the senses” for customers. They create something that is going to draw the people in and give them a very sensory experience. When consumers are busy and on the go, they are going to be drawn to whatever is flashiest and the most appealing. They are not going to waste their time on something mediocre. This marketing style of playing on the senses is effective for drawing in the consumer and bringing them to a particular retail store before any others.
How might the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul serve as a model for modern shopping malls? How does the retail chain Lush build on markets like the Grand Bazaar?
The Grand Bazaar serves as a model because it is an open air market. It greatly appears to the senses. The products are displayed in their natural form and since the market is open, all the aromas can easily fill the air and entice prospective buyers. Everything looks vibrant, natural, and fresh at these markets, which consumes a prospective customer’s senses. The Grand Bazaar does not package all their products like in American stores. The venders put their products out on display so that consumers can experience the full extent of what each product has to offer. Lush builds on this idea because it has decided to display all its cosmetics just like food. The company has decided to not package its cosmetics like other retail chains. It displays them just as food would be displayed. The products look natural and even scrumptious. The idea is to make them look natural and actually “good enough to eat” in order to appeal to all the peoples’ senses. This strategy has proven incredibly effective for this company.
How can stores specifically target men or women with music and aromas? Pay attention in particular to this segment, as you will need to reflect on it in class on Tuesday.
In the video, a professor at Washington State University did a research study on the effect of aroma on gender and how it influences retail buying. He concluded that a smell such as vanilla is much more attractive to women and would entice them more to buy a certain item. He also placed a more masculine smell; a spicier smell in a male clothing stores. The results showed that this store’s profits went up by about 350% with the smell present. This shows that certain aromas and music as well, can appeal to either men or women. Music and smells can definitely target men or women and entice them to buy products, without the consumer’s knowledge of the smell or music’s presence.
Finally watch Episode 2 Part 4.
Discuss the use of space to encourage people to slow down, see the whole store, and to keep them inside to buy things.
There are various elements of space that are used to encourage people to slow down and see the whole store. Displays in retail stores are set up so that you can move around and browse from rack to rack. Also, color is often used on certain walls in order to draw people into the back of the room or upstairs. In addition, not only is the stores itself enticing, but the entire mall. Some malls have been designed in such a way that people think it is majestic and marvelous. They want to stay there and also buy something there, just to be a part of it. Also, malls and other shopping places have removed clocks so that you don’t know what time it is. They want you to get lost in the shopping experience and feel like you never have to leave. Also, some malls have provided other forms of entertainment such as amusement parks, dancing, and even wedding chapels. This is to give you the idea that you could actually live in this place and just shop forever. This is all to keep you at the retail establishment and most of all keep you buying!
Episode 1 Pt. 1: manipulation in a supermarket; how do we shop; experiments in a supermarket; does a shopping list keep you from buying impulse items?; cabinet castaways--whale meat; role of brands
I was very surprised by this video clip. It appears that having a shopping list actually backfires and we actually end up spending more money. People with a list usually spend more time in the supermarket and also end up rewarding themselves by buying something extra once they have finished their list. I was very surprised by this as I am an avid list maker for the store and thought I was making the best use of my time and money. I will be much more aware of my supermarket buying next time I enter Meijer with my supposed money-saving list!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
What's Baking on Wealthy Street?
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| Commercial Yeast |
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| Bread and Pastries from Wealthy Street Bakery |
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| Yeast and Water: the beginning of the dough making |
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| Kneading the dough |
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| More Kneading |
Introduction to Wealthy Street
Today we had a guest speaker from Wealthy Street Bakery. She gave us some background on the history of the bakery. She said the bakery uses no artificial flavorings or preservatives. Their goods are all natural and baked in a stone oven. They claim that their bread is more European influenced. She told us that there are two major types of yeast used by their bakery. The first is commercial yeast. This is the most common type and helps the bread to rise more powerfully. This type of yeast can be used in a wide variety of bread. The second type of yeast is wild yeast used in sourdough. They use a sourdough starter to make this type of dough which they keep active by feeding it twice a day. She said that sourdough can be very different depending on where you come from. For example, sourdough in San Francisco is very sour compared to other parts of the country.
She also gave us some information on how they bake the dough. Loaves of bread have to be sliced on the top so that they don’t “explode” while baking. The bakery also hand rolls all their bread. She told us that the kneading process allows for gluten to be formed, which is the protein bread. This gluten in the bread gives it its structure. I was interested to learn that higher protein bread will make the bread chewier. High protein gluten is used in things such as bagels to give them that chewy texture. It was also interesting to learn that it is much harder to get something like whole wheat breads to rise.
The speaker also told us a little about different types of pastries baked on Wealthy Street. She said that all of their pastries are yeast made. The croissant is yeast dough made with a lot of butter. The Danish has dough that has more egg and sugar in it. All of the pastries they make at the bakery originated in Vienna. She also told us a bit about rye bread. She said that it used to be more popular than it is currently. Rye flour does not taste very good with commercial yeast and thus is more difficult to make.
Time to Taste Test!
After the introduction to bread baking we had the chance to try some of the bread from Wealthy Street! My reactions are as follows.
1. Whole Grain Health Bread
a. When looking at the appearance of this bread it had a lot of nuts in it. It was a medium brown color with a harder, darker crust. It looked like it had a lot of granules in it and was extremely textured. The texture of it was coarser and crunchy. It was not quite as smooth as the other types of bread. There was not a very significant aroma; however the aroma was heavier and deeper than the others. It almost smelled more rustic. The density of this bread was greater than the others. When eating it the bread it felt more dense and heartier. It seemed to fill me up more than the others. Finally, the flavor was rather unique. I actually liked this bread the best! It had a bit of a nutty flavor to it and seemed very filling and hearty. It seemed to have the most flavor of a lot of different grains.
2. French Bread
a. This bread was very pleasing to the eye. Its color was a cream, almost yellow in appearance. It had a darker crust and had a lot of holes in it. The texture was very smooth and porous. When tasting it the texture was cool and light. The aroma was very fresh. It smelled as if it had just come out of the oven. The density was far less than the previous bread. It was much more light and airy. The flavor was much sweeter than the sourdough and was not as hearty as the health bread. The flavor was pure tasting bread with just a hint of sweetness.
3. Sourdough Bread
a. The appearance of this bread was a little darker. The crust, however, was lighter than the French bread. The texture of the bread was smooth like the French bread. However, it was not as porous as the French bread. This bread was also only slightly dense. It was light and airy like the French bread. The flavor of it was quite different than what I expected. It was not as sour as I expected. It almost tasted just like French bread with simply a hint of sour.
Making a Loaf!
The recipe that my partner and I decided to make was for Focaccia bread. Focaccia bread is one of my favorite types of bread, so I was excited to see how it is made. As I kneaded the bread it became more pliable and elastic. What had first started out as a lump of liquid and flour was quickly becoming soft and stretchy dough. As I kneaded the bread further it began to take on the consistency of bread more and more. The experience of baking bread was very exciting. I loved being able to see all the steps that go into making bread what it is. It is amazing to me that what simply starts out as a lump of ingredients, has become a delectable treat! My favorite part was kneading the bread and then spreading it on the baking sheet. It was fun to be able to watch the dough rise before baking. When I pulled the bread out of the oven, I was delighted to see the final product. It was a great sense of accomplishment to see that I had carried the recipe through correctly and soon will get to enjoy my creation! I think that using mass instead of volume would be better suited to bread because one could be far more exact. I was surprised by how precise the process had to be in order for the consistency of the bread to come out right. I think that mass would be better suited for the dry ingredients needed in the bread.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Bread Pre-Class Homework
1. What is yeast? What are the different types of yeast available?
Yeast is a single-celled fungus that has around 160 species. There are different kinds of yeast all around us in our everyday world. However, most of us are familiar with the mass-produced forms of yeast. There are four large categories of yeast used in cooking. These include Baker’s Yeast, Nutritional Yeast, Brewer’s Yeast, and Distiller’s and Wine Yeast.
2. What is the function of yeast in bread?
Yeast allows bread to rise. When bread bakes, yeast ferments the available sugars that are in the flour and added sugar. Because of this carbon dioxide gas cannot escape because the dough is elastic and stretchable. Because of this expanding gas, the dough inflates and thus rises.
3. Why do you have to add sugar to the yeast?
The fungus, which is yeast has a sweet tooth. The favorite food of yeast is sugar in the form of sucrose, fructose, glucose, or maltose. Yeast ferments the sugars that are available to create carbon dioxide gas and thus make the bread elastic and stretchable which allows it to rise. Without sugar, yeast cannot accomplish its purpose of making bread rise.
4. Why do you knead bread dough?
Site Used: http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-you-need-to-knead-bread-dough.htm
A major important part of bread making that takes place during the kneading process gluten develops. Gluten forms as the dough is moistened and stirred and gains strength when kneading happens. Gluten is the binding agent for the dough that allows the loaf to have a cohesive texture and keeps it from falling apart. Thus, kneading also allows for the texture of bread to take form and to strengthen the bread.
5. What chemical reaction causes the elastic bread dough to form?
The chemical reaction that takes place is alcoholic fermentation. This process produces carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol. These end products are released by the yeast cells into the liquid of the dough. When yeast ferments these sugars the carbon dioxide and other gases cannot escape and the dough becomes elastic and stretchable. Because of this expanding gas, the dough inflates and rises.
6. What is gluten? What happens if your body can't digest gluten?
Site Used: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-gluten.htm
Site used: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/celiac-disease/DS00319
Gluten is a type of protein that is found in wheat, barley, and rye. It allows bread to keep its form and texture and keeps it from falling apart. It helps to make bread more elastic and provides it with a chewy texture. It is also useful in keeping the gases released during fermentation in the dough so the bread is able to rise. It also makes bread able to be absorbent so it can soap up broths.
If the body cannot digest gluten, as is the case in celiac disease, those people must avoid foods with gluten completely. If these people were to consume gluten they could end up with severe abdominal pain and diarrhea. Experts are not aware what exactly causes this disease but it results in damage to the microvillus of the intestines. This malabsorption of nutrients could also cause vitamin deficiency that could deprive the brain, nervous system, bones, liver, and other vital organs. There is no cure for this disease; however, proper diet management can yield adequate management of this disorder.
7. What is sourdough bread? What is a sourdough starter, and why is it necessary?
Sourdough bread is a type of dough that contains lactobacillus culture and is used in combination with yeasts. It is different from yeast-based breads because it produces a tangy or sour taste because of the lactic acid produced by the lactobacillus culture. A sourdough starter is a batch of bread dough that is from a previous batch of dough that has already been fermented. It is used when making a current batch of dough to give the new batch flavor. Because this dough has already fermented, it is used in subsequent dough batches for that full sourdough flavor.
8. What is responsible for the flavor, texture, and leavening differences in: injera, pita, nan, etc. (or your favorite type of bread)?
Injera:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injera
This type of bread is a yeast-risen flat bread that has a unique, spongy texture. Teff flour, made from iron-rich teff grain is used to make this bread. The teff flour is mixed with water and then allowed to ferment for many days. This is in combination with a sourdough starter. This sourdough starter gives it a mild, sour taste.
Pita: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pita
This is a very thin, pocket bread that is created by steam which puffs up the dough. When it cools and flattens, a pocket is left in the middle portion. This type of bread does not have a particular flavor and is usually always eaten with varying type of meat and hummus.
Naan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nan_Bread
This is a type of leavened, oven-baked flatbread. It is one of the most popular Indian breads. It is cooked in a tandoor, which is a clay oven. Sometimes, baking powder is substituted for the yeast. Milk or yogurt may also be used to give naan some thickness and volume. It is usually served hot with butter or other foods stuffed inside.
Yeast is a single-celled fungus that has around 160 species. There are different kinds of yeast all around us in our everyday world. However, most of us are familiar with the mass-produced forms of yeast. There are four large categories of yeast used in cooking. These include Baker’s Yeast, Nutritional Yeast, Brewer’s Yeast, and Distiller’s and Wine Yeast.
2. What is the function of yeast in bread?
Yeast allows bread to rise. When bread bakes, yeast ferments the available sugars that are in the flour and added sugar. Because of this carbon dioxide gas cannot escape because the dough is elastic and stretchable. Because of this expanding gas, the dough inflates and thus rises.
3. Why do you have to add sugar to the yeast?
The fungus, which is yeast has a sweet tooth. The favorite food of yeast is sugar in the form of sucrose, fructose, glucose, or maltose. Yeast ferments the sugars that are available to create carbon dioxide gas and thus make the bread elastic and stretchable which allows it to rise. Without sugar, yeast cannot accomplish its purpose of making bread rise.
4. Why do you knead bread dough?
Site Used: http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-you-need-to-knead-bread-dough.htm
A major important part of bread making that takes place during the kneading process gluten develops. Gluten forms as the dough is moistened and stirred and gains strength when kneading happens. Gluten is the binding agent for the dough that allows the loaf to have a cohesive texture and keeps it from falling apart. Thus, kneading also allows for the texture of bread to take form and to strengthen the bread.
5. What chemical reaction causes the elastic bread dough to form?
The chemical reaction that takes place is alcoholic fermentation. This process produces carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol. These end products are released by the yeast cells into the liquid of the dough. When yeast ferments these sugars the carbon dioxide and other gases cannot escape and the dough becomes elastic and stretchable. Because of this expanding gas, the dough inflates and rises.
6. What is gluten? What happens if your body can't digest gluten?
Site Used: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-gluten.htm
Site used: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/celiac-disease/DS00319
Gluten is a type of protein that is found in wheat, barley, and rye. It allows bread to keep its form and texture and keeps it from falling apart. It helps to make bread more elastic and provides it with a chewy texture. It is also useful in keeping the gases released during fermentation in the dough so the bread is able to rise. It also makes bread able to be absorbent so it can soap up broths.
If the body cannot digest gluten, as is the case in celiac disease, those people must avoid foods with gluten completely. If these people were to consume gluten they could end up with severe abdominal pain and diarrhea. Experts are not aware what exactly causes this disease but it results in damage to the microvillus of the intestines. This malabsorption of nutrients could also cause vitamin deficiency that could deprive the brain, nervous system, bones, liver, and other vital organs. There is no cure for this disease; however, proper diet management can yield adequate management of this disorder.
7. What is sourdough bread? What is a sourdough starter, and why is it necessary?
Sourdough bread is a type of dough that contains lactobacillus culture and is used in combination with yeasts. It is different from yeast-based breads because it produces a tangy or sour taste because of the lactic acid produced by the lactobacillus culture. A sourdough starter is a batch of bread dough that is from a previous batch of dough that has already been fermented. It is used when making a current batch of dough to give the new batch flavor. Because this dough has already fermented, it is used in subsequent dough batches for that full sourdough flavor.
8. What is responsible for the flavor, texture, and leavening differences in: injera, pita, nan, etc. (or your favorite type of bread)?
Injera:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injera
This type of bread is a yeast-risen flat bread that has a unique, spongy texture. Teff flour, made from iron-rich teff grain is used to make this bread. The teff flour is mixed with water and then allowed to ferment for many days. This is in combination with a sourdough starter. This sourdough starter gives it a mild, sour taste.
Pita: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pita
This is a very thin, pocket bread that is created by steam which puffs up the dough. When it cools and flattens, a pocket is left in the middle portion. This type of bread does not have a particular flavor and is usually always eaten with varying type of meat and hummus.
Naan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nan_Bread
This is a type of leavened, oven-baked flatbread. It is one of the most popular Indian breads. It is cooked in a tandoor, which is a clay oven. Sometimes, baking powder is substituted for the yeast. Milk or yogurt may also be used to give naan some thickness and volume. It is usually served hot with butter or other foods stuffed inside.
Chocolate!!!
The first activity we did on this day was a quiz on the history and background of chocolate. My group scored 9 out of 10, which I was fairly satisfied with considering it proved a rather difficult quiz for us! I realized there was a lot more to chocolate than I originally thought! It is quite a complex food. The second activity was called the Chocolate Chain. This was a lesson in the economics of the chocolate business and gave some insight into how the royalties from selling chocolate is distributed. This activity was rather confusing for me at first. Each member of our group was assigned a job in the chain of chocolate distribution. I was assigned the position as a manager of the Godiva Luxury chocolate company. I was supposed to be responsible for the distribution, transport, and packaging of the chocolate. We were each to argue why we believed we should receive the majority of the profits from a $2.00 candy bar.
This was a very eye-opening activity. Our group felt very torn because we felt that the farmer of the beans should have received more of the profits because of the time and labor he or she would have to put into the growing. However, we decided that the Godiva distributor should receive the majority of the profits because of the high overhead fees he or she would have. This really got me thinking about where my food comes from and how business dealings are all about money and not always fair. Next time I buy some chocolate at the store I will definitely think more seriously about where my food was made and the time, labor, and money that went into it.
The third activity of the day was called the art of tasting chocolate. This was a very interesting activity. We watched a video that outlined an alternative way of tasting chocolate. This tasting is more than just sticking chocolate in ones mouth and gulping it down. It involves savoring and truly enjoying all the flavor of the chocolate. We were instructed to pay attention to the look, fragrance, touch, taste, and feel of the chocolate. The chocolate I brought was Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate. I stuck the chocolate on my tongue and felt the cool of it as it melted. Because I took the time to really let it cool on my tongue it allowed me to taste all the rich and fruity flavors of the chocolate which I could have previously missed. The chocolate I brought with me was truly delicious and rich, with the slightest hint of a bitter taste.
The final activity was to find the best tasting chocolate. I went around tasting all the different chocolate pieces that people had brought into class. I evaluated the various chocolates based on their look, fragrance, touch, taste, and feel. We then got into groups and ranked our top five choices. The top ranked chocolate was Hershey’s Symphony Milk Chocolate. I have recorded my comments on my top three favorites below.
My first favorite was also the class favorite, Hershey’s Symphony Milk Chocolate. It looked a medium brown color and was smooth and in perfectly even squares. It smelled like any other milk chocolate, there was not a lot of significance to the smell. The touch was smooth beneath my fingers and the edges had been cut perfectly straight. The taste was extremely creamy. It was very milky, more than usual milk chocolate. I loved it because it had the extra creamy feature to it. The feel of it was extremely smooth like silk. It was unlike any other milk chocolate that I had ever tasted.
The second chocolate that I really liked was the Dairy brand very Nutty Milk Almond chocolate. The look of it was not extremely attractive. The edges were jagged and there were chunks of almond sticking out of the chocolate. The fragrance smelled like milk chocolate with a slightly nutty flavor to it. The touch was rougher than the previous chocolate because of the nutty component. However, the taste was delectable. There was the taste of extremely milky chocolate with a hint of almond. The taste was richer than the previous milk chocolate, almost more like dark chocolate. I really enjoyed the almost taste the most. The feel was very creamy again, but with a slight crisp crunch. The combination of textures made this chocolate extremely enjoyable.
The third chocolate that I really enjoyed was the large Toblerone. The look of it, first, was very appealing. It came in perfectly formed pyramid shapes. It was a dark brown color with pieces of nougat appearing on the surface. The fragrance smelled of milk chocolate, with a hint of nut. There was also the slight smell of honey. The touch was smooth with sharp, straight edges. The taste was a plethora of flavors. The taste was a rich, milk chocolate, with a hint of warm, honey flavor. The nougat gave it a slight crunch and nutty flavor. The combination of honey and nut was the best part of this chocolate. The fell was extremely smooth with the perfect amount of moistness and crunch.
Overall, this day was thoroughly enjoyable. What better day could one have in class, tasting chocolate all day! Although, I felt that I did more than just eat some delicious flavors, I was able to learn slightly about the process of making chocolate. It is a fascinating and historical industry that should be thought about when one buys some from the store. There is truly more to chocolate than meets the taste buds!
This was a very eye-opening activity. Our group felt very torn because we felt that the farmer of the beans should have received more of the profits because of the time and labor he or she would have to put into the growing. However, we decided that the Godiva distributor should receive the majority of the profits because of the high overhead fees he or she would have. This really got me thinking about where my food comes from and how business dealings are all about money and not always fair. Next time I buy some chocolate at the store I will definitely think more seriously about where my food was made and the time, labor, and money that went into it.
The third activity of the day was called the art of tasting chocolate. This was a very interesting activity. We watched a video that outlined an alternative way of tasting chocolate. This tasting is more than just sticking chocolate in ones mouth and gulping it down. It involves savoring and truly enjoying all the flavor of the chocolate. We were instructed to pay attention to the look, fragrance, touch, taste, and feel of the chocolate. The chocolate I brought was Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate. I stuck the chocolate on my tongue and felt the cool of it as it melted. Because I took the time to really let it cool on my tongue it allowed me to taste all the rich and fruity flavors of the chocolate which I could have previously missed. The chocolate I brought with me was truly delicious and rich, with the slightest hint of a bitter taste.
The final activity was to find the best tasting chocolate. I went around tasting all the different chocolate pieces that people had brought into class. I evaluated the various chocolates based on their look, fragrance, touch, taste, and feel. We then got into groups and ranked our top five choices. The top ranked chocolate was Hershey’s Symphony Milk Chocolate. I have recorded my comments on my top three favorites below.
My first favorite was also the class favorite, Hershey’s Symphony Milk Chocolate. It looked a medium brown color and was smooth and in perfectly even squares. It smelled like any other milk chocolate, there was not a lot of significance to the smell. The touch was smooth beneath my fingers and the edges had been cut perfectly straight. The taste was extremely creamy. It was very milky, more than usual milk chocolate. I loved it because it had the extra creamy feature to it. The feel of it was extremely smooth like silk. It was unlike any other milk chocolate that I had ever tasted.
The second chocolate that I really liked was the Dairy brand very Nutty Milk Almond chocolate. The look of it was not extremely attractive. The edges were jagged and there were chunks of almond sticking out of the chocolate. The fragrance smelled like milk chocolate with a slightly nutty flavor to it. The touch was rougher than the previous chocolate because of the nutty component. However, the taste was delectable. There was the taste of extremely milky chocolate with a hint of almond. The taste was richer than the previous milk chocolate, almost more like dark chocolate. I really enjoyed the almost taste the most. The feel was very creamy again, but with a slight crisp crunch. The combination of textures made this chocolate extremely enjoyable.
The third chocolate that I really enjoyed was the large Toblerone. The look of it, first, was very appealing. It came in perfectly formed pyramid shapes. It was a dark brown color with pieces of nougat appearing on the surface. The fragrance smelled of milk chocolate, with a hint of nut. There was also the slight smell of honey. The touch was smooth with sharp, straight edges. The taste was a plethora of flavors. The taste was a rich, milk chocolate, with a hint of warm, honey flavor. The nougat gave it a slight crunch and nutty flavor. The combination of honey and nut was the best part of this chocolate. The fell was extremely smooth with the perfect amount of moistness and crunch.
Overall, this day was thoroughly enjoyable. What better day could one have in class, tasting chocolate all day! Although, I felt that I did more than just eat some delicious flavors, I was able to learn slightly about the process of making chocolate. It is a fascinating and historical industry that should be thought about when one buys some from the store. There is truly more to chocolate than meets the taste buds!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Chocolate Pre-Class Homework
Chocolate Pre-Class Homework
1. Map the process of forming a chocolate bar starting from the cocoa tree
The cocoa bean begins its journey by being grown on a tree called the Theobroma Cacao tree which has its origins in Central and South America. The bean starts as a pod that contains the almond-shaped bean and is surrounded by a sweet pulp. After the pods ripe for 5-6 months they are harvested by hand. The pods are opened with a knife and the beans are scooped out. After this the beans are covered with banana leaves and left outdoors to ferment for 5-7 days. The beans are then dried for 1-2 weeks so that they can be shipped. Next, the beans are roasted for about 70 minutes to two hours. This is what gives the chocolate its aroma. After roasting, the shell is removed from the nib or kernel in the process called winnowing. This nib is now ground, which generates heat to melt the cocoa butter within the bean; this forms chocolate liquor. This liquor can then be hardened to form baking chocolate. The next step is to press the liquor which creates cocoa butter or a dry cake material that is our drinking or cocoa powder. Anything can be added to this liquor, such as dried milk or cocoa solids in order to get the various kinds of chocolate we eat. In order to get the chocolate bar, a chocolate crumb mixture is created. In this process the fat content is adjusted to a desired level. The crumb is then steel rolled into more refined particles that give it a smoother feel. Next is the conching process. This causes the flavor and textural changes to take place. During this last step, lecithin is usually added giving it the standard fat content. Tempering involves cooling the chocolate so that it has the right snap, gloss and texture. After tempering it’s reheated to liquefy the lower melting forms and so that the bar is now uniform. The final step is that the chocolate is tested by a variety of analytical methods that involves food tasters.
2. How does one establish the relevance of these findings to the general population?
In order to determine if these findings are sound and relevant, further research studies must be conducted. Although these findings are promising and did indicate noticeable results for this test group, the research must be done on a much wider scale. Further studies must be conducted with people of varying genders, ages, and health status in order to get a sound conclusion. After further studies if these findings are accurate, this would be very relevant to the American population. As stated by the previous article, Americans consume 3.3 billion pounds of chocolate per year. Obviously we are a country that loves chocolate, so it would not be hard to get Americans to eat it. Blood vessel relaxation is involved in regulation of blood pressure. Hypertension is also a big problem in our country today, so something that could be effective in lowering BP would also be very relevant to the general population. However, further research needs to be done before everyone runs out to buy chocolate in order to lower their blood pressure!
3. Epicatechin and other flavanols are also found in grape juice, tea and red wine. Would you expect to find a similar positive cardiovascular effect when consuming these foods/beverages?
I would expect to find similar positive cardiovascular effect. This is because there has been fairly extensive research on these substances and cardiovascular health. These studies have shown that having these beverages in moderation, can improve cardiovascular health. The key to this, however, is consuming these items in moderation. None of these foods or beverages is going to be a cure all for high blood pressure or heart disease. However, in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle I think that all these beverages can have a similar positive cardiovascular effect.
4. Much of the cocoa found in the US or in chocolates contains processed cocoa. Standard commercially processed cocoa has little or no flavanol. Would you expect to have a cardiovascular benefit from consuming chocolates found in the supermarket?
I would not expect to have a cardiovascular effect from these highly processed chocolates. This is because even if they do contain small amounts of flavanol, this will most likely be outdone by the presence of additives, saturated fat, and cholesterol. I think that any cardiovascular benefit would be overshadowed by the presence of other negative substances present in highly processed material. In this case, I think that the negatives would far outweigh the benefits of the flavanol. One would be much better off finding a more natural chocolate where there is more flavanol.
5. Much of the health benefit studies have been done with cocoapro cocoa. Cocoapro® is a patented process that helps retain more of the naturally occurring flavanols in cocoa. Products that are made with the Cocoapro process include Dove® Dark Chocolate and CocoaVia®. Can you think of what Mars Inc., which owns the patent for Cocoapro must be doing to the cocoa beans to allow for high flavanols?
One idea for how Mars Inc. is getting beans with high flavanols is by controlling the growing environment. Flavanols are a specific nutrient found in the beans, so perhaps by controlling the growing environment of the beans, the integrity can be maintained. By making sure the trees on which the beans grown are in the very best environment for growth, the growers can ensure that the beans will ripen still containing all their nutrients. If the beans are grown in a highly monitored, controlled environment, the company has more control over finding the right beans and the ones that will yield the most flavanol nutrient.
6. If one assumes that eating Dove Dark Chocolates are good for you since it contains high flavanol levels and that the plant manager for Mars eats about half-a-dozen dark chocolates a day, and that each Dove dark chocolate contains 190 calories, do you see an upside or a downside from eating Dove Dark Chocolates?
In this case I see a downside from eating Dove Dark Chocolates. The key to the cardiovascular effects of these chocolates is that they are consumed in moderation. Simply because they contain flavanols does not mean that the caloric and fat content goes away. Consuming too many high caloric foods can lead to obesity and eventually heart disease, having the opposite effect that is wanted from flavanols. In order for this process to truly be effective one must consume these chocolates in moderation, in partnership with an already healthy lifestyle. This is the only way that the truly positive cardiovascular effects can be seen.
7. Read the article, Improved Skin Condition and Cocoa (available on Moodle). You may skip the Materials and Methods section and the Results section. Pay special attention to the Abstract, Introduction, and the Discussion. To achieve the skin quality described in the paper, how much cocoa should be consumed and how frequently?
The study concluded that regular consumption of beverages rich in flavanols can help with photoprotection of skin as well as maintaining skin’s structure and function. In order to get the maximum photoprotective effect, one should consume a daily amount of cocoa, comparable to that of carotenoid supplements. This equals out to about 100g of dark chocolate. This study was 12 weeks long and the subjects did see significant improvement in skin integrity. However, no exact figures were given as to consumption amount and frequency. They simply concluded that a regular consumption of moderate amounts (about 100g) of cocoa can yield positive skin maintenance.
8. Read the article, Chocolate and Health, (see Moodle). What are some of the misconceptions about Chocolate and Health?
One misconception is that components of cocoa contain antioxidants that can kill naturally destructive molecular particles in the body. Another misconception is that a person can get the cardiovascular benefits of flavanols by consuming any dark chocolate at the supermarket. A third misconception is that measuring cocoa-solid content can act as an indicator of a chocolate’s flavanol. However, researchers have debunked this myth by revealing that both the flavanol and non-flavanol rich drinks in the study contained the same amount of cocoa solids. Specialists at the University of Western Australia School of Medicine and Pharmacology also attest to another misconception. Not all flavanoids present in chocolate can yield heart benefits. Not all flavanoids are really absorbed by the body, thus chocolate companies cannot claim health benefits by simply providing chocolate rich in any type of flavanoid.
1. Map the process of forming a chocolate bar starting from the cocoa tree
The cocoa bean begins its journey by being grown on a tree called the Theobroma Cacao tree which has its origins in Central and South America. The bean starts as a pod that contains the almond-shaped bean and is surrounded by a sweet pulp. After the pods ripe for 5-6 months they are harvested by hand. The pods are opened with a knife and the beans are scooped out. After this the beans are covered with banana leaves and left outdoors to ferment for 5-7 days. The beans are then dried for 1-2 weeks so that they can be shipped. Next, the beans are roasted for about 70 minutes to two hours. This is what gives the chocolate its aroma. After roasting, the shell is removed from the nib or kernel in the process called winnowing. This nib is now ground, which generates heat to melt the cocoa butter within the bean; this forms chocolate liquor. This liquor can then be hardened to form baking chocolate. The next step is to press the liquor which creates cocoa butter or a dry cake material that is our drinking or cocoa powder. Anything can be added to this liquor, such as dried milk or cocoa solids in order to get the various kinds of chocolate we eat. In order to get the chocolate bar, a chocolate crumb mixture is created. In this process the fat content is adjusted to a desired level. The crumb is then steel rolled into more refined particles that give it a smoother feel. Next is the conching process. This causes the flavor and textural changes to take place. During this last step, lecithin is usually added giving it the standard fat content. Tempering involves cooling the chocolate so that it has the right snap, gloss and texture. After tempering it’s reheated to liquefy the lower melting forms and so that the bar is now uniform. The final step is that the chocolate is tested by a variety of analytical methods that involves food tasters.
2. How does one establish the relevance of these findings to the general population?
In order to determine if these findings are sound and relevant, further research studies must be conducted. Although these findings are promising and did indicate noticeable results for this test group, the research must be done on a much wider scale. Further studies must be conducted with people of varying genders, ages, and health status in order to get a sound conclusion. After further studies if these findings are accurate, this would be very relevant to the American population. As stated by the previous article, Americans consume 3.3 billion pounds of chocolate per year. Obviously we are a country that loves chocolate, so it would not be hard to get Americans to eat it. Blood vessel relaxation is involved in regulation of blood pressure. Hypertension is also a big problem in our country today, so something that could be effective in lowering BP would also be very relevant to the general population. However, further research needs to be done before everyone runs out to buy chocolate in order to lower their blood pressure!
3. Epicatechin and other flavanols are also found in grape juice, tea and red wine. Would you expect to find a similar positive cardiovascular effect when consuming these foods/beverages?
I would expect to find similar positive cardiovascular effect. This is because there has been fairly extensive research on these substances and cardiovascular health. These studies have shown that having these beverages in moderation, can improve cardiovascular health. The key to this, however, is consuming these items in moderation. None of these foods or beverages is going to be a cure all for high blood pressure or heart disease. However, in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle I think that all these beverages can have a similar positive cardiovascular effect.
4. Much of the cocoa found in the US or in chocolates contains processed cocoa. Standard commercially processed cocoa has little or no flavanol. Would you expect to have a cardiovascular benefit from consuming chocolates found in the supermarket?
I would not expect to have a cardiovascular effect from these highly processed chocolates. This is because even if they do contain small amounts of flavanol, this will most likely be outdone by the presence of additives, saturated fat, and cholesterol. I think that any cardiovascular benefit would be overshadowed by the presence of other negative substances present in highly processed material. In this case, I think that the negatives would far outweigh the benefits of the flavanol. One would be much better off finding a more natural chocolate where there is more flavanol.
5. Much of the health benefit studies have been done with cocoapro cocoa. Cocoapro® is a patented process that helps retain more of the naturally occurring flavanols in cocoa. Products that are made with the Cocoapro process include Dove® Dark Chocolate and CocoaVia®. Can you think of what Mars Inc., which owns the patent for Cocoapro must be doing to the cocoa beans to allow for high flavanols?
One idea for how Mars Inc. is getting beans with high flavanols is by controlling the growing environment. Flavanols are a specific nutrient found in the beans, so perhaps by controlling the growing environment of the beans, the integrity can be maintained. By making sure the trees on which the beans grown are in the very best environment for growth, the growers can ensure that the beans will ripen still containing all their nutrients. If the beans are grown in a highly monitored, controlled environment, the company has more control over finding the right beans and the ones that will yield the most flavanol nutrient.
6. If one assumes that eating Dove Dark Chocolates are good for you since it contains high flavanol levels and that the plant manager for Mars eats about half-a-dozen dark chocolates a day, and that each Dove dark chocolate contains 190 calories, do you see an upside or a downside from eating Dove Dark Chocolates?
In this case I see a downside from eating Dove Dark Chocolates. The key to the cardiovascular effects of these chocolates is that they are consumed in moderation. Simply because they contain flavanols does not mean that the caloric and fat content goes away. Consuming too many high caloric foods can lead to obesity and eventually heart disease, having the opposite effect that is wanted from flavanols. In order for this process to truly be effective one must consume these chocolates in moderation, in partnership with an already healthy lifestyle. This is the only way that the truly positive cardiovascular effects can be seen.
7. Read the article, Improved Skin Condition and Cocoa (available on Moodle). You may skip the Materials and Methods section and the Results section. Pay special attention to the Abstract, Introduction, and the Discussion. To achieve the skin quality described in the paper, how much cocoa should be consumed and how frequently?
The study concluded that regular consumption of beverages rich in flavanols can help with photoprotection of skin as well as maintaining skin’s structure and function. In order to get the maximum photoprotective effect, one should consume a daily amount of cocoa, comparable to that of carotenoid supplements. This equals out to about 100g of dark chocolate. This study was 12 weeks long and the subjects did see significant improvement in skin integrity. However, no exact figures were given as to consumption amount and frequency. They simply concluded that a regular consumption of moderate amounts (about 100g) of cocoa can yield positive skin maintenance.
8. Read the article, Chocolate and Health, (see Moodle). What are some of the misconceptions about Chocolate and Health?
One misconception is that components of cocoa contain antioxidants that can kill naturally destructive molecular particles in the body. Another misconception is that a person can get the cardiovascular benefits of flavanols by consuming any dark chocolate at the supermarket. A third misconception is that measuring cocoa-solid content can act as an indicator of a chocolate’s flavanol. However, researchers have debunked this myth by revealing that both the flavanol and non-flavanol rich drinks in the study contained the same amount of cocoa solids. Specialists at the University of Western Australia School of Medicine and Pharmacology also attest to another misconception. Not all flavanoids present in chocolate can yield heart benefits. Not all flavanoids are really absorbed by the body, thus chocolate companies cannot claim health benefits by simply providing chocolate rich in any type of flavanoid.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Brewing Up Some Chemistry!
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| Carla with some of the Barley! |
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| The four types of barley/malt. |
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| Double Bock Beer |
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| Centenniel Hops |
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| Hallertau Hops |
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| Citra and Centenniel Hops |
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| Carla with one of the beers, but not drinking it of course! |
Brewing Up Some Chemistry!
Today we had a guest speaker, Andrew Van Til, who is a professional beer brewer and taster. I came into this day with basically zero knowledge about beer, so I was interested to learn more about the process of beer brewing. We had the opportunity to not only learn about what goes into beer, but we also had the opportunity to taste some barley and smell various types of beers. I came away from the day with a much better understanding of beer brewing and the overall field of beer production.
In the first part of the presentation Mr. Van Til talked about malt. This is also known as barley and gives beer a sweet taste. This was very interesting to me because I didn’t even know that malt and barley was the same thing! We were able to taste four different kinds of barley and also boil some in water, which is the mashing part of the beer making process. He also provided a little history on barley. He said that over the centuries bakers have come to prefer wheat because there is no husk. However, brewers have come to prefer barley because they need the husk material to get the beer right in centrifuge. We also made a mash, which was when we mixed water with the barley. This is done in order to unlock enzymes in order for the beer to later ferment. I also learned that the color of the malt determines the color of the beer. For example, a pale malt is going to yield a very yellow colored beer.
We also had the chance to smell some beers. We smelled a “Double Bock” beer which smelled very strong to me. To me, it smelled like a fruity wine. I was shocked at how this beer and the next one we smelled were extremely dark colored. Both of these beers looked like a dark colored pop rather than beer. The second beer did not smell as bitter. It smelled rather smoky. Mr. Van Til told us that this malt had been smoked, which gave the beer a smoky smell and consequently also has a smoky taste.
The next part of the presentation was about hops. I was not at all aware of what hops were prior to this day. I found out that they are a plant that grows about 2 feet per day! It is also much harder to come by than barley and there has even been a hops shortage. We looked at Centenniel Hops, Fuggulls, Citra, and Hallertau Hops. They all smelled very sour to me. The Citra had a citrucy smell to me, but I still had to wrinkle my nose at the smell of it. The Fuggulls had an earthy smell to it that reminded me of freshly cut hay. They all had a very strong smell to me and I really did not enjoy smelling these different types of hops. Mr. Van Til told us that Hops have been used for centuries in beers and are now used universally. Hops are much more bitter and are put into beer to balance out the sweetness of the malt. They also have an antiseptic quality.
We were able to smell two more beers that were more focused on the Hops characteristic. The first was “Hops Stupid”. This was a sweeter smelling beer. It was fruity smelling and reminded me of tropical fruit. This beer was much lighter in color, reminding me of the color of apple juice. I thought this juice smelled much nicer than I expected, considering the foul smell of the hops! The second beer was “Prima Hills”. This was also a yellow-gold color and had more of a spicy, peppery smell to it. This is a beer made by hops from Germany, and is more characteristic of hops grown there. I was also interested to learn about the term “skunky” beer. This is when the taste and smell of beer takes on a skunky aroma because it has altered due to UV light. This can happen by beer being exposed to UV light during transport or by simply sitting next to a fridge with UV light. This was an interesting to that I would have never previously been aware of.
The final part of the presentation was about yeast. This is a single-celled organism in the fungus family. This is what ferments and gives the beer its alcoholic quality. I also learned about the difference between ale and lager. Ale is made with ale yeast. However, lager is made with a lager yeast which ferments at cellar temperature. Lager, in German, literally means “to store”. We had the opportunity to smell two more beers. They were both very light colored, having a yellow-gold color. The first beer smelled like banana or bubble gum. Interestingly, the chemical that makes bananas taste like bananas is also in this type of beer. However, this beer has never neared bananas. This beer also had a hint of a cloves scent. The second beer was a Belgian beer that had more of an earthy smell. It was interesting to learn that this beer is extremely hard to duplicate, as its origins are a small brewery in Belgium.
The final two beers we got to smell were “Dragon’s Milk” and “Gail’s Prize Old Ale”. These were also dark colored, like coke pop color. The “Dragon’s Milk” had more of a carmel smell that was rather strong, accurately living up to its name. The other beer had more of a sweet smell; I would describe its smell as a tamer version of the first. They are both more aged beers made in giant old oak tubs called Bourbon barrels. I was also interested to learn that beer cannot make you sick. Microbes that can make humans ill cannot really survive in beer and that is why they are able do aging processes like this one. Overall, I came away from the day with a much better understanding of beer and the complexity of the brewing process. It is a much wider field than I had previously thought and the types of beer are endless. I feel that as I approach my 21st birthday next week, I will be better able to make an informed beer decision!
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