Newstalk's Mark Mortell sits with Jamie O'Neill of  Kildare Based ChocOneill in the Executive Chair  & discusses Fresh Chocolate and the importance of getting people to taste the differences in Chocolate from around the world. Friday 30th October 2009 Chocolate Tasting Workshops with ChocOneill Naas & Longford This is a tasting of chocolate and discovery through the senses with a brief introduction to molecular gastronomy. A blind tasting of plain single origin and single plantation chocolates will lead us to explore various textures and ingredients. The Art of the Artisan will be explored by the tasting of fresh ChocOneill Truffles and Pralines. Venue: The Clarence Hotel, (Suite A), 6–8 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2 Date: Friday 30th October, 1.30–2.15pm & 2.45–3.30pm Tickets: €8, €5 (concession) – Call 01 888 3610 for booking This event is brought to you by Temple Bar Cultural Trust as part of the Temple Bar Chocolate Festival – click here to find out more http://www.templebar.ie/home_nav_2_t_15.html Type of event: Workshop	"Designer Chocolates"    "Delicious chocolates!"     Tom Dunne	Food Wine Travel                     Digest of Brief News on Food, Wine and Travel to                               supplement 'Serge the Concierge'   Temple Bar Chocolate Festival ’09 takes place from October 30th to November 1st templebar.ie Top of the Chocs  CHOCONEILL  The Longford-based company makes a range that includes single origin and single bean truffles; a brand for the connoisseur MUST TRY: Their Boite en Chocolate — a selection from their handmade range in a presentation box made of chocolate
Artisans: Kildare’s local chocolate treat    Sunday, March 23, 2008 - By Emma Kennedy Being half-Belgian and half-French isn’t a bad pedigree when it comes to running your own chocolate business. If you also happen to come from a family of chefs, all the better. Beatrice O’Neill has brought these credentials to ChocOneill, the company she set up with her husband, Jamie, two years ago in Kildare. The couple produces a range of fresh artisan chocolates, that are free from added vegetable fats, artificial colours or preservatives. It includes white chocolates, champagne truffles, crystallised ginger dipped in plain chocolate and swirl chocolate lollipops. Its selection of boxed sweets comes in a box made entirely of chocolate. ‘‘We are true to the traditional method of chocolate-making,” says Jamie. ‘‘All the chocolate is tempered by hand.” The couple source their base chocolate from Belgium, France and Switzerland, as well as from exotic locations in equatorial Africa, the Caribbean and South America. Good quality chocolate is important, says O’Neill, as poor quality chocolate leaves a residue in the mouth. ChocOneill’s dark chocolates typically have 70 per cent cocoa solids, while its milk chocolate has 34 to 38 per cocoa solids. The company’s white chocolate has around 28 per cent cocoa solids. Its base chocolate might come from around the globe, but the other components in ChocOneill’s products are sourced closer to home. ‘‘We use local ingredients, such as Irish honey, fresh butter and fresh cream,” he says. Fresh fruit, when in season, is also a popular choice for flavouring. The firm has launched a range of sugar-free chocolates, which are suitable for chocolate lovers with diabetes. The chocolates are sweetened with a wheat-based sweetener as an alternative to sugar. ChocOneill’s products are available from a number of local shops, and chocaholics can also purchase the tasty treats from the firm’s website. See www.choconeill.ie for more information. artisan@sbpost.ie	Stunning hand-made chocolates by Beatrice and Jamie O'Neill.    What's Cooking?   O'Neill Chocolates. These are the finest hand made chocs you will ever taste. Made in nearby Naas, they are worth every penny.                            www.irishfarmersmarkets.ie                 freeco – ChocOneills’ Fresh & Eco! Fresh Chocolates packaged in Boxes made from Chocolate! Outstanding -  As for the chocolates…Unspeakably                 Fantasticly Fantastic!!!!            www.naasfarmersmarket.com	The Naas Market brilliantly mixes the market veterans food lovers are familiar wwith and depend upon – Sheridans, Gallic Kitchen, Jane Russell, G’s jams, Castleruddery Organics, Denis Healy – with some emerging stars – pies from Edible Icon; chocolates from local chocolatier Jamie O’Neill; Louise O’Hare’s What’s Cooking traiteur foods; Ffrench’s baking and preserves; Seccoto Coffee; Maggie Foley’s crepes; Andrea’s baking from the former Dobbins Restaurant pastry chef. ChocOneill  |  Naas  |  Kildare White or champagne truffles, crystallized ginger dipped in plain chocolate, a milk chocolate selection and swirl chocolate lollipops – just some of the delicious range available from ChocoOneill. Owners Jamie and Beatrice O’Neill have an important aim for their business - to produce fresh artisan chocolates with no added vegetable fats, artificial colours or preservatives. To do this, they work directly with chocolate manufacturers in Belgium, France and Switzerland to source the chocolate. Some of the chocolate used in making the range comes from around the world, including Equatorial Africa, the Caribbean and South America. The O’Neills also use a wide range of single origin chocolates, which are not available to “large scale operations”. This guarantees the finest chocolate, available only to Artisan Chocolatiers.  Local ingredients are used to make the delicious pralines and truffles. The chocolates are hand made, tempered, dipped and finished in the traditional artisan way.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT with Susan O'Reilly ...........The heady smells and glorious colours of Steenbergs Organic peppers and spices will be a welcome addition to any chef's kitchen this Christmas. Steenbergs buy fresh herbs and spices are bought directly from farmers and producers and hand blended by Steenbergs themselves using their own recipes........................ .....Chocolate is another must at Christmas and it's hard to beat hand made chocolates from Choconeill, freshly made artisan chocolates with no preservatives or colourants.................	December 18, 2007 Beyond cliches...Good Food Ireland shows the country rich palette Before you hop on the plane for a trip to Ireland, it might be wise to visit Good Food Ireland. They go beyond the cliches and show us the country rich palette from restaurants to markets to local talent such as artisan chocolatier ChocOneill of Kildare County. If you cannot get over there, try their recipes.	Bridgestone Guides 2007 Naas Farmers’ Market Friary Lane, beside Storehouse, Naas in Co. Kildare
Farmer's Market goes 40 shades of green to celebrate Saint's day NAAS Farmer's Market is going greener than ever this weekend with a host of entertainment lined up to celebrate St Patrick's Day, writes Sylvia Pownall. There will be a festive atmosphere with music provided by a live band and free food tastings with a definite Irish flavour. There's a lot more to the market than organic vegetables this bank holiday weekend – with a host of ideas for Mother's Day on offer. Handmade chocolates by local couple Jamie and Beatrice O'Neill (Choconeill) would make an ideal gift, as would fresh flowers from Marie Rogers, a home-baked and beautifully decorated cake, or a tree or plant from Sally McCaffrey's garden stand. "There are a couple of new stands which might be worth a look," revealed Siobhan Popplewell, PRO for the market which is held each Saturday from 10am to 3pm at the Storehouse restaurant on Friary Lane.		Chocolate - LONDON ChocOneill. A fresh Artisan product - exclusively produced to order, and each item unique. ... Hotfrog!