so good.. magazine – The magazine of the haute pâtisserie

Good and productive. The sustainability of a crop which is also source of richness and life entirely depends on the balance of this binomial. GranjaLuker has spent half a century doing research and seeking the best, most resistant and most profitable cacaos, as well as updating the production methods, but one of their greatest achievements is even more important than this – the persuasion and training of the local farmers, who have realized that, economically speaking, cacao is as interesting as coffee, bananas or palm trees. For Juan Carlos Arroyave, director of the farming department of this institution, quality and productivity not only do not oppose each other, but need each other.More info

Introducing new, advantageous ingredients; simplifying the processes; increasing the uses and performance of each product; in short, optimizing the technical side of pastry and bringing it to its best: this is what smart pastry is all about – a concept which Jordi Puigvert practices and teaches all over the world as a technical advisor for several companies. And this will actually be the main topic of a book which will come out next November, written by Puigvert himself and published by Grupo Vilbo and So Good..More info

Andy Chlebana, Christophe Feyt, Stephen Durfee and Roy Pell will make up the team representing the USA in the next edition of the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie (Lyon 2013). They all qualified in a test held in The Grand Rapids Community College, and were chosen out of a group of eight finalists.More info

The latest edition of the US Pastry Competition has showed that pastry is a long-distance race in which one can never renounce a dream to come true. In proof of this, you can ask Anthony Smith, who had already tried to win this prestigious competition on several occasions before, being the first one 8 years ago. His perseverance and effort have led him to win the Gold Medal and have turned him into the new Pastry Chef of the Year 2012.More info

It has become a real classic. Every year, the Spanish master chocolatier Oriol Balaguer finds the way to amaze everyone with his Easter egg collection, which he has reinvented once again for the occasion. Inspired by contemporary art, Balaguer reflects disciplines like surrealism, psychedelia and 3D-design in his work, creating highly beautiful pieces.More info

Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States of America and founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation, will play a distinguished part in the next edition of the NRA Show in Chicago next May 6th. Clinton will address the attendees and will share his experiences as former US president and current leading member of the foundation named after himself. More info

The Chocolate Academy of Chicago and Cacao Barry® are searching for the Chocolatier of the Year in 2012 in its annual L’Art du Chocolatier Challenge, a competition that encourages creativity and expertise in designing and executing original creations.More info

A new edition of the World Chocolate Masters, one of the most prestigious and spectacular competitions, will be held during the Professional Salon du Chocolate in Paris, from 19th to 21st October this year. On this occasion, a total number of 19 professionals will show their best by making an artistic piece, a cake, a dessert and assorted bonbons based on the theme ‘Cacao, a gift from Quetzalcoatl’.More info

Awarding the professional talent, dignifying the plated dessert within gastronomy and praising high quality chocolate – these are the pillars on which the C3 Competition (Consecration Cercle des Chefs) stands, created and organized by the chocolate firm Valrhona.More info

Once again it was a great festivity for pastry and art. There is a magical conjunction that is produced in this type of contests, where spectacular presence and sensitivity are enhanced in this artisan trade. The 22nd edition of the US Pastry Competition, the pastry competition annually organized by Paris Gourmet in New YorkMore info