Trend Bean to Bar involving the world. But I don't know what it is Bean to Bar. Therefore, in this series, we will introduce the "World of Bean to Bar" in three parts, using "Minimal", a pioneer of Bean to Bar in Japan, as an example.
Part 1 is about the basics of the basics, "What is Bean to Bar?"
◆ What is Bean to Bar in the first place?
Bean to Bar refers to Bean to Bar (board = chocolate bar), that is, a style in which all processes from purchasing cacao beans to making chocolate bar are performed in-house.
But how is it different from ordinary chocolate? Some people may have thought. The same was true for the author. So let's see the difference from the chocolate making process.
Chocolate sweets, bonbons (bite-sized chocolates), and chocolate cakes that you often see in stores are made from chocolate dough called "couverture." Is Valrhona in France famous as a manufacturer of couverture (also called a primary processing manufacturer)? The product may say, "I use Valrhona chocolate." They process the purchased cacao and sell it as tablets, curry, and chocolate for confectionery.
◆ A big boom all over the world!
In Europe, which has a long history of making chocolate, there have been brands that stick to cacao and make it in this way for a long time.
However, in recent years, this style has become widespread because of a trend originating in the United States. It is said that the term Bean to Bar began to be used from around 2007 to 2008, and people from different industries, such as Third Wave Coffee (which became a hot topic in Japan when Blue Bottle landed), entered the market one after another, making it a big movement. It seems that it became.
On the west coast of the United States, where there are many IT companies such as Apple, it has been said that coffee and chocolate are the next trend for several years, and it is popular to enjoy coffee and Bean to Bar chocolate mariage. And in Europe, it has come to be featured as a category at chocolate fairs and festivals.
Chocolate made by craftsmen who know the charm of cacao has become a big "trend" due to the excitement of both America and Europe.
There are more than 20 Bean to Bar stores in Japan. It became known to people other than "chocolate enthusiasts", and a special corner appeared at the Valentine's Day event in the department store.
◆ “Trends” that cannot be overlooked
In February, Bean to Bar's "home" and " Dandelion " from San Francisco, USA will land in Japan. This year may be the year when Bean to Bar will spread in earnest. If you see it, give it a try.
(The second issue will be posted on January 29th. We will introduce "How to enjoy single origin".)
