Facts and Questions
1What is the best way to store Jon L. Stopay Chocolate?
Store chocolate at cool room temperature in a dark place with good air circulation; the refrigerator is not recommended, although if your kitchen is particularly hot and humid, it might be your only choice. Wrap it well to protect it from odors.
Ideally, chocolate should be wrapped first in foil and then in plastic and stored at a constant temperature of 65°F and 50% humidity. Slightly higher temperatures and humidity are acceptable, although the chocolate may not last as long. Stored under perfect conditions, unsweetened and dark chocolate will last for 10 years, and certainly up to a year in good home kitchen conditions; milk and white chocolate for 7 to 8 months.
Formed chocolate candies such as truffles and pralines can be frozen and defrosted in the refrigerator before being brought to room temperature for serving.
2What is the correct pronunciation of Jon L. Stopay?
The correct pronunciation of Jon L. Stopay is “Stop-eye,” though still is not the names true pronunciation. That one is almost similar to Popeye! The name is known as “Stowe-pay.”
3Do you use peanuts in your factory?
What is your allergy information? All of our products are produced in a plant that handles peanuts/tree nuts. If you have a peanut allergy, please contact us for more information.
4What are the most common ingredients found in your products?
Chocolate, peanut butter, milk solids, salt, sugar, diary butter, fresh cream, fruits, nut meats, corn syrup, honey, pure and artificial flavors, US certified colors, sulfur dioxide, & FD & C yellow No. 5 & No. 6
5What is the difference between bittersweet and semi-sweet?
Practically speaking, there is no difference. By FDA standards, both chocolates must contain at least 35 % chocolate liquor (unsweetened chocolate). After this requirement is met, the individual manufacturers can add more chocolate liquor, as well as sugar, additional cocoa butter, milk solids, lecithin and flavorings, such as vanilla and vanillin. (The addition of milk solids does not make these chocolates “milk chocolate” but instead is sometimes added in very small amounts as a way to smooth out the flavor.)
In past years, it was safe to generalize that European bitter chocolate was referred to as “bittersweet” and American chocolate was referred to as “semi-sweet”. This is no longer a safe rule of thumb as more and more American manufacturers use the term “bittersweet”. Either can be used in a recipe, but depending on the type used when the recipe was developed, the outcome may be very similar to the original intent, or quite different. It’s a good idea to experiment to discover your favorite types of chocolate – and if a recipe specifies a brand or type (such as “extra bittersweet”) try to use it. Both semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate may be referred to as “dark chocolate”.
6What is Jon L. Stopay white chocolate?
White chocolate is a combination of cocoa butter, sugar, butterfat, milk solids, lecithin, and flavorings. It contains no chocolate liquor and gets its mild chocolate flavor from the cocoa butter. It also gets its ivory color from moist sublime fat. If you buy a product that is labeled “white chocolate” and yet it looks bright white, chances are it contains no cocoa butter but instead a mixture of vegetable fat, milk solids, sugar, lecithin an flavorings. This product may be called confectionery or summer coating – the word chocolate will be conspicuously absent.
For years, The United States Standard of Identity barred U.S. manufacturers from calling the product “chocolate” and so it was labeled as confectionery coating or summer coating. These standards are being reviewed and may soon be relaxed. If this happens, Americans manufacturers can call white chocolate just that – as they do in Europe.
White chocolate is sensitive to heat – more so than dark chocolate – and so when melting it, take great care. Keep the water in a double broiler between 110° F and 120° F. White chocolate chips are tricky to melt in particular because they contain the least amount of cocoa butter of any form of white chocolate.
7Why is some chocolate more expensive than other chocolate?
The price of chocolate varies greatly from inexpensive candy bars to pricey truffles. Like wine, the price varies depending on the processing and quality of the original ingredients (a chocolate made from high quality cacao beans and other ingredients, with a greater percentage of cocoa butter, with more extensive refining during manufacture) and the amount of fine hand work needed to fashion the chocolate into a confection.
8Where can I find health information/facts about chocolate?
You may find health information and facts about chocolate all over the web. Using search engines such as Yahoo! and Google can find you all sorts of information you are looking for. The Jon L. Stopay Web Site does offer its very own health facts.
9How can I get in contact with Jon L. Stopay Chocolates?
All of our contact information is listed on our website’s top banner or can be found on our “About Us.” You may also join our electronic mailing list to receive special promotions and discount notices.