Holiday 2009 Catalog Available

It's time for our Holiday Catalog! Smith Organic Chocolates is pleased to announce that our Holiday 2009 catalog is complete and ready to go.

If you would like a copy, please email us at smithorganicchocolates@dejazzd.com. It is available in hard copy or in Microsoft Publisher. The catalog was created in Publisher 2007, but it can be saved in Publisher 2003. A Word catalog is in the works, but may not be ready until mid-November.

We have several new packaging options this year, as well as our Snowman Tin tower from last year.

Some of our new packaging options include:

A Holiday Holly box for candy

Reindeer Tower Set

Peppermint Lovers Open Box set - shrink-wrapped

Some of our new candy offerings include:

• Peppermint Lovers Package


• Almond Lovers Assortment


• Peanut Lovers Assortment

We have gift options ranging in price from $2.99 to $54.99.

Check out our website at http://www.smithorganicchocolates.com/ for product information.

Smith Organic Chocolates is dedicated to providing you with the latest nutritional chocolate and product information.

The holidays are only a couple months away!

Can you believe it? The holidays are approaching! It seems like summer was just a couple of weeks ago! (it was).

I heard a report on the news last week that said the early bird shoppers were already on the lookout for gifts - or they would be before the end of October!

Sheesh! I just started updating the website last week, and we're currently working on our holiday specials - which are pretty much the same as last year - we'll have some new products and a new packaging option for you!

And as always, gift certificates can be purchased directly from our secure website - because there's a lot to choose from!

We'll be keeping you updated about our holiday party. We're tentatively scheduling it for Sunday, November 29th from 2-5 p.m. We'll have plenty of free samples, holiday music, and show you our stuff! So....put that on your calendar - save the date!

Smith Organic Chocolates is dedicated to bringing you the latest in nutritional information about chocolate and keeping you apprised of our latest products!

Chocolate for PMS? You bet!

Yes - evidently new research is saying that dark chocolate can be good for PMS!

Researchers and medical professionals already know that chocolate contains antioxidant flavonoids that help mood and heart functions.

Reseach is also showing that pregnant woman benefit from eating a bit of dark chocolate a day. We blogged on that a couple of months ago.

Now - I just saw in an article in Natural Products Marketplace, the current issue (October 2009) that new research is saying that women suffering from PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) can now take heart that it's OK to eat a bit of dark chocolate.

"And while women typically experience chocolate cravings at the onset of their period, new research is looking into the effect of dark chocolate on PMS symptoms. They already know chocolate can help improve mood and stress problems, and data is now revealing flavonoids in cocoa may protect the brain from oxidative stress, improving cognitive function."

So go ahead ladies - eat a bit of dark chocolate at the onset of your next period! It's actually good for you!

Smith Organic Chocolates is dedicated to bringing you the latest in chocolate nutritional information as well as new product announcements and/or specials! What do you think? Post a comment and let us know!

PRODUCT SALE!!

You're invited to a PRODUCT SALE OPEN HOUSE - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th from 4-6 p.m. at our location - 30 3rd Street, Akron.

We're having a Sale! You remember that we did a wedding a couple of weeks ago!

Well - we have a few leftovers! We have some Organic Raspberry Truffles and some Organic Vanilla Bean Cremes!

Prices up to 50 to 75% off!

Give us a call or email us at smithorganicchocolates@dejazzd.com to order!

We also have some Organic Almond Bark "seconds" - a bit 'bloomed' but still very, very tasty!!

So come on over on Sunday, September 13th from 4-6 p.m.

First come, first served until all sale product is sold!

Sugar-Free Chocolate

Montezuma drank chocolate straight up! No sugar, no milk, just pure 100% chocolate!

Have you ever eaten 100% chocolate? Ugh! It's BITTER. Many people who are sugar-challenged for health reasons need to find a healthy chocolate that doesn't include sugar.

Depending on your point of view and opinion of what are termed "multi-level" organizations - there is a supposedly healthy organic sugar-free chocolate out there. We have not tried it. We merely report that it's out there.

Let's do a couple of definitions here. Let's look at what a multi-level organization is, plus a short review of some of the sugar alternatives out there.

A multi-level organization is one where the bottom level person sells the product. In order to get promoted in rank, that person then recruits everyone they know to become their distributors - and so on and so on up the chain.

Different sugar substitutes are out there. There's Zero, by Wholesome Sweetners. There's Agave Nectar, like a honey substitute. Honey itself is a sugar substitute. Since I'm not the nutrition expert, but my husband Kirby IS - (due to his 26 years in the natural products field) I asked him. His favorite is Xylitol because of its taste and digestability.

We've tried on a couple of occasions to formulate a sugar-free chocolate here at Smith Organic Chocolates. I've come to the conclusion that my experiments have gone wrong because I don't have professional processing equipment. Either that, or I don't know what I'm doing. :-)

All that being said, there is a new organic sugar-free chocolate out on the market. We have not tried it - we don't know if it's any good. You can Google it. It's called TRU Chocolate.

Smith Organic Chocolates brings you this Organic Chocolate Blog to educate and inform you of chocolate trends, nutrition information, and products. Please post a comment or become a follower! Thanks!

Our New Vanilla Bean Cremes

Since Day One, I've been threatening to take our Coconut Ball center and revise it. Our Coconut Ball is one of our most beloved candies, but some people, like me, don't like coconut. Coconut is one of those things you either like or you don't like. I don't like - but husband Kirby DOES like.

In formulating our new confection, I took out the coconut, and added real organic vanilla bean, vanilla 'Silk' and added organic vanilla extract - and voila!

An organic vanilla bean creme! A friend recently tried one for the first time. You should have seen the look on her face! You'd have thought she just ate the best thing ever! In fact - she SAID so!

"Ohymygosh! This is the BEST candy I EVER ate!" she exclaimed.

I had made some samples to send to a bride we were working with in Ohio for wedding favors. My friend, Renee Kopp, came over to help make 180 of these confections. After eating this, she said, "You HAVE to call them something different than just 'vanilla creme' - they're MUCH too good for THAT!"

A minute later, she cried out! "I've got it! Vanilla BEAN Cremes! Because you put in real vanilla bean!"

I said, "I LIKE it!!" So-o-o-o-o ---- now you have it! Vanilla Bean Cremes. Shown here in milk chocolate because that's what the bride ordered. They are now available on our website in quarter pounds enrobed in dark, milk, or white. A quarter pound will give you about 8 pieces of candy.

Smith Organic Chocolates is dedicated to bringing you the latest in nutritional and product information as it relates to chocolate!

Candy and Chocolate Trends

In the August 2009 issue of Gourmet News, an article was published that confirms what I've been reading and reporting here in this blog.

"'Healthy' tops candy trends" states that "From its potential health benefits to its organic roots and inclusion as an ingredient in many types of sweet and savory foods, we have only begun to experinece the versatility of chocolate."

Wow! ONLY BEGUN to experience the versatility of chocolate! Oooooo!! That sounds good to me. The woman quoted in this article is Susan Smith, who is the senior vice president of the NCA (National Confectioners Association).

Smith Organic Chocolates offers healthy, but sweet candy and confections. We use 99.9% organic ingredients. One of our goals is to be certified organic in the next year or so.

Smith Organic Chocolates is dedicated to bringing you the latest in nutritional value and organic chocolate news so you will be informed.

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