Sweet success: Life in a chocolate factory
By RITA DEMONTIS, TORONTO SUN

Toronto Sun, Canada
July 12 2006

There’s a real-life Willy Wonka in our midst. Her name is Stella
Zhamkochian and she’s at the helm of Gourmet Square, a manufacturer,
wholesaler and distributor of chocolates.

We think her middle initial is C for chocolate — or it should be,
as this Markham mother of two’s life is one of recreating this sweet
treat on all levels.

Her company creates an array of sweets prepared in the most innovative
ways. Everything from blueberry-inspired bon-bons to chocolate pizzas
to chocolate-drizzled popcorn, Zhamkochian admits her mind is always
on the go to find a new winner, a new flavour, a new idea.

IN CANADA’S FINEST HOTELS

Her goods are recognizable in some of Canada’s finest hotels and
shops, and she prepares for dozens of companies under their own
private labels.

She even has a tiny retail shop open to the public when she’s not too
busy on the wholesale side of life — "just phone and see if we’re
open that day," she offers.

A recent visit to her plant in the city’s north end sees Zhamkochian
— "I was born in Armenia and came to Canada at the age of 12" —
multi-tasking at an alarming rate, hairnet sternly in place, white
smock neatly pressed, sending out rapid-fire directions to her tiny
staff and making sure her chocolate operation flows as smoothly as
the decadent product she works with.

Her company’s considered one of the tiniest players in the
confectionary field, yet her volume of work is large, and the plant
is a beehive of activity — add to that the constant, heavenly aroma
that permeates the place, and you might as well be in chocolate heaven.

"Here try this!" she says as she pops a small, pink-flecked
bon-bon into a visitor’s mouth. The explosion of flavour is instant
and incredible — velvety smooth, it’s an exquisite bite of the
most perfect strawberry cheesecake. "Whadya think of that!," says
Zhamkochian triumphantly, as she lobs a second bon-bon — this one
a deep, rich red — again into the visitor’s mouth.

It tastes like the ripest, most intense bing cherry, bathed in a
delicate chocolate chaser.

Zhamkochian pores a pile of brilliant-hued treats, in different shapes
and flavours, on a spotless table. She points out the blueberry
and banana treats, and offers up a raspberry and cherry, and that
surreal cheesecake.

Truth be told, Zhamkochian’s " bon-bons" are more reminiscent of
magnificent jewels — baubles for the taste buds, so to speak.

"I’m always thinking of a different flavour, or taking a standard
flavour to a new level," says Zhamkochian, who, although the middle of
summer, has Christmas carols playing in her heard, as she’s currently
working on a Yuletide line that includes a delicate eggnog-inspired
treat, a mincemeat-laced chocolate, as well as a killer orange
creme brulee.

" I find inspiration in everything, and at the weirdest hours,
including the middle of the night," says Zhamkochian, while keeping a
critical eye on a line of hand-finished chocolate pears being prepared
for a wedding.

How did she decide on a career in chocolate — especially as she’s
a florist by nature? "I worked in retail fashion for many years,
and then I quit to have my son," says Zamkochian, mother of Matthew,
12 and Grace 7, who incidentally are named after her Grace- Matthews
Collection, a new packaging line. "When Matthew was three, I opened
a florist shop and it was quite a success. I started dabbling in
chocolate to offer as an extra, and when that proved to be more
successful, my husband Mario and I took a gamble and went into the
chocolate business full-time seven years ago."

It was a gamble, but one on her terms. She wanted to offer chocolates
"with a new twist. Sure, we have your basic chocolate-covered
almonds. But we also offer cinnamon-dusted, toffee covered almonds in
our chocolate. Our centres, like raspberry, orange, lemon, banana,
even coconut-dusted pineapple, can sometimes fool you into thinking
your eating a fresh fruit."

Zhamkochian knows she’s playing with the big boys — and holding
her own. What started as a one-person operation has expanded into
full and part-time staff. And she’s looking to expand next year,
into larger headquarters.

On any given week, she’s using more than 2,500 lbs. of chocolate,
sometimes as much as 4,500 lbs.

And what started out as a small venture has skyrocketed to where her
wholesale operation has gone national, yet "I still do local orders
for everything from weddings to special events. Plus we’re kosher
under the supervision of KSA, and we offer diebetic-friendly options."

HUMIDITY AFFECTS CHEMISTRY

If there’s a downside to her business, "it’s the weather. Just the
smallest change in the humidity can change the chemistry in the
chocolate, making it that much more difficult to work with."

One more thing — how does she stay so slim?

"You work your butt off!" she grins. "Plus — all you really need is
just a taste."

Sure — as we pop another treat in our mouth!

—

A FEW PLACES THAT CARRY GOURMET SQUARE PRODUCTS

– Any Sugar Mountain shop

– Fisher Distributing, in Concord, exclusive wholesaler for hotel
mini bar industry.

– GiftPak in Mississauga

– Fielding Group Ltd, in Mississauga

– Sunnybrook Restaurant, 660 Eglinton Ave. E. (416) 489-4303

—

CALL 905-475-7532 OR STELLA@GOURMETSQUARE.COM FOR MORE INFO.

—

ABOUT CHOCOLATE

According to Peter Higgins, a food scientist and GM of Purdy’s,
chocolate is good for you, and here’s why:

– It makes you feel great! A substance in chocolate called theobromine
triggers the release of endorphins, chemicals produced by the
brain, which act like natural anti-depressants, improving moods and
temporarily relieving the "blues."

– Chocolate boasts essential vitamins and minerals including vitamins
A, B1, C, D, and E, as well as calcium, fluorine, iron, magnesium,
potassium, and sodium.

– Chocolate is a great source of antioxidants, ranking with the top
fruits and vegetables for antioxidant content. In fact, chocolate has
four times the antioxidant level to that of tea. Antioxidants in the
blood stream may have the ability to neutralize cancer-causing free
radicals and help prevent heart disease along with other degenerative
diseases.

– Chocolate is rich in flavonoids, which are said to possess potent
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-enhancing properties.

– Chocolate does not raise blood cholesterol levels. Stearic acid, the
predominant saturated fat in chocolate, is a unique saturated fatty
acid. It has a neutral effect on blood cholesterol levels and unlike
other saturated fats, it simply doesn’t increase cholesterol levels.

– Chocolate eaters live longer than those who abstain. Moderate
consumption of chocolate — as well as other sweets –added almost
a year to life expectancy. Plus chocolate is lower in caffeine than
is most commonly believed.

– Chocolate does not cause tooth decay.

– Chocolate does not cause acne. In fact, many dermatologists,
including the American Academy of Dermatology, doubt that diet plays
any significant role in acne.

"Plus, there’s a real trend towards dark chocolate, specifically
chocolate with a higher cocoa content," says Higgins. "The health
benefits in this alone are extraordinary. The trends are changing,
and people are finally coming to terms that chocolate is not only
tasty, but good for you on a variety of levels."

—

RASPBERRY TRUFFLES

Here’s a sweet and simple recipe Stella says is a favourite in
her family!

22 oz. quality semi or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

6 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam

2 tbsp. raspberry brandy

1. In a 1-quart glass measure, combine 10oz chocolate and butter
and heat in microwave on High for one to 11/2 minutes, until melted
and smooth when stirred. Stir in jam and liqueur until well blended.
Cover and refrigerate until firm, about four hours or overnight.

2. Using a melon baller or small ice cream scoop, scrape mixture into
2.5 cm balls. (If mixture is too hard, let stand at room temperature
1/2 hour before shaping). Place truffles on wax paper-lined baking
pan and freeze firm one hour or longer.

3. In a small glass dish, place remaining 12 oz chocolate. Heat in
microwave on Medium three to 31/2 minutes, stirring often, until
chocolate is melted, smooth and warm. Using a fork, dip truffles
quickly, one at a time, into chocolate, tapping fork on edge of dish
to shake off excess.

4. Place on wax paper lined baking pan. Repeat dipping process,
stirring chocolate often and scraping down sides of dish, if necessary,
to prevent chocolate from hardening. Refrigerate until chocolates
are set, about 1/2 hour. Wrap in an air-tight container and store in
refrigerator for two weeks or in freezer for one month.

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CHOCOLATE’S RICH PAST

Here are some sweet and satisfying facts about chocolate courtesy of
the good folks of Purdy’s chocolates, (purdys.com), a Canadian-owned
and family-operated company headquartered in Vancouver, B.C.,
considered the largest chocolate retailer in Western Canada and
the second largest in Canada. (they’ll be celebrating their 100th
anniversary next year!)

– 1502: Christopher Columbus’ fourth voyage and he discovers cocoa
in Guaanaja, off Honduras.

– 1519 : Hernando Cortes stops off at San Juan de Ulloa, tastes a cocoa
based drink and realizes how good it is. He creates a plantation and
triggers off the start of the Spanish cocoa monopoly which was to
last two centuries.

– 1641 : Cocoa is introduced to Germany via the Spanish court and a
scholar named Johann George Voldkammer.

– 1659 : Louis XIV hands over the chocolate monopolies of the Paris
chocolate drink trade and the French Royal Court to David Chaillou.

– 1847 : Invention of the chocolate bar by the English firm Fry and
Sons. Before this chocolate had only ever been consumed in liquid form.

– 1875 : Invention of milk chocolate by Daniel Peter de Vevey
in Switzerland which spelt the beginning of the Swiss’ hegemonic
relationship with chocolate.

– 1879 : Rudolph Lindt founds his chocolate factory as well as
inventing coating, conching and plain chocolate.

– 1868 : The Tobler firm is founded and starts to produce its own
chocolate in 1899, the year the Toblerone nougat, almond and honey
chocolate was born.

– 1900 : In the U.S., Milton Snavely Hershey created a town called
Hersheyville dedicated to the production of chocolate. The specialty
called the "Hershey Kiss" is still being produced today at a rate of
1500 products a minute.

– 1907: Purdy’s Chocolates was founded by Richard Carmon Purdy,
who is now a household name across Western Canada. There most famous
chocolate is the "Hedgehog" a hazelnut truffle.

– 1932 : Forrest Mars, the son of the creator of the Milky Way,
also created a leading product. No less than 2 million Mars bars
are produced every day. Next story: Indulge yourself with chocolate
delights