- 4 days
- Mon - Thu, 25 - 28 Sep 2023
- 10:00am - 5:30pm
- Garcia Nevett Chocolatiers of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States
- $800
Combined Foundation and Intermediate level courses in Chocolate Tasting.
The course will be taught in English by Dr. Maricel E. Presilla. Dr. Presilla is a historian and chef recognized as an expert on cacao and chocolate and the author of The New Taste of Chocolate: A Natural and Cultural History of Chocolate with Recipes (Ten Speed Press) and president of the Gran Cacao Company, offering innovative approaches to fine cacao and chocolate, and Latin American cuisines.
The class will take place at the store and workshop of Garcia Nevett Chocolatiers of Miami, in the trendy Sunset shopping district. Owned and ran by two experienced ‘Venezuelan chocolatiers, Garcia Nevett represents the flowering of fine chocolate confections in South Florida and the place to source outstanding chocolate bars from makers around the world.
The fee for Level 1 includes £40 for registration with our UK-based accreditor, FDQ and issue of an official Ofqual (UK Government) approved certificate for the “FDQ Level 1 Foundation Award in Chocolate Tasting”, should you pass the assessment. Retakes will require an additional fee. Lunch and refreshments are included.
For information about the course and payment methods, as well as for transportation details and lodging recommendations, contact Dr. Presilla directly by email at grancacao@aol.com. In your enrollment application include full name, ID, gender, date of birth, email address and home address.
Combined Level 1 & Level 2
The Combined course takes you directly through to Intermediate level in a concentrated four day workshop course, or a six week program of webinars and self study.
Level 1 provides in introduction to a sensorial approach to chocolate tasting and a good grounding in chocolate tasting, including tasting of 9 or more different origin or blended fine dark chocolate bars, tasted in different forms for an understanding of aroma, length, texture and taste.
The first day finishes with a 30 minute multiple choice exam for Level 1 based on the course content. Certificates will be issued upon achieving a pass mark.
The Level 2 intermediary course explores the world of fine and origin chocolate in greater depth, looking in detail at the styles of different chocolate makers and different approaches to chocolate making, from micro-batch to large scale. Treatment and flaws in cacao are examined as well as the chocolate production chain and how these contribute to flavour.
The course explores chocolate history with an emphasis on taste and the current chocolate market. Over 25 chocolate bars and samples are tasted, with repeat tasting, profiling and blind tasting to gain a full understanding.
Level 2 introduces the Institute’s online chocolate profiling system, which will be used throughout the course working with laptops of tablets. Spare tablets will be provided if you are unable to bring your own device.
The course is held over an intense three days and provides fuller understanding of fine chocolate and its flavour possibilities.
The course finishes on the final day with a 60 minute multiple choice exam based on the course content and a blind tasting test. Certificates will be issued upon achieving a pass mark.
- What is fine chocolate
- Training the chocolate senses
- The main origins and varieties of cacao
- Cacao production, quality and flaws
- How chocolate is made and how it affects flavour
- Direct sourcing, sustainability and ethics
- Chocolate types and styles
- Sensory exploration, practice and physiology
- Tasting practice and profiling with our online system
- Understanding and tasting flaws in cacao and chocolate
- Cacao farming and economics
- Chocolate history from a taste perspective
- Take away study guides
- All the chocolate and sensory samples you will need
- Certificate for exam passes
This course would be perfect for you if:
- You want an in-depth start to your chocolate tasting journey
- You’re a professional in the catering/pastry/fine chocolate industries and want to develop a full sensory understanding
- You are considering launching a fine chocolate business
- You want the ultimate, intensive gift the chocolate fanatic in your life
- You want to develop your tasting skills towards a professional level