Author Archive: Bryn Kirk
Equal Exchange Chocolates
May 30, 2011
The Equal Exchange Co-op sells organic, fair-trade, premium chocolate bars. The chocolate is purchased from small-scale farmers and their families. The chocolate is made in the Swiss tradition from co-operatives in the Dominican Republic, Panama, Peru, and Ecuador.
You can go online to buy their products but chances are you will see them being sold as fundraisers for faith-based organizations, at community events, holiday bazaars and fairs, and even in farmers’ markets.
I was given a mini-sized 55% dark chocolate bar for a tasting sample at a volunteer fair last week. It was delicious! (I bought a full-size 71% dark for later!)
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Mint Chocolate Rooibus
May 23, 2011
Rooibus (Rooibos) tea (pronounced roy-bos) means “red bush” in Afrikaans. Rooibus is herbal, caffeine-free, and contains powerful antioxidants. It is also lower in tannins than green or black tea.
Rooibus is grown only in a small area of South Africa. It is slowly becoming more popular in the U.S. for the health conscious.
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Chocolate Lava Cake
May 16, 2011
I remember a certain look on my babies’ faces after they finished filling their tummies with milk. Their sleepy smiles were a mixture of deep satisfaction and complete happiness. Life was good.
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Chocolate Chip Day
May 13, 2011
Do you have it on your calendar? Sure, today is a Friday the 13th, but never fear, the antidote is right around the corner. May 15 each year is National Chocolate Chip day!
Of course this brings up the question, “Who invented the Chocolate Chip?” The answer is a very American story.
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Godiva Chocolatier Gems
May 9, 2011
Godiva chocolate makes three varieties of Gems™, individually wrapped bon bons.
I just finished eating a dark chocolate French Vanilla Truffle Gem described on the package as a dark chocolate with a creamy french vanilla filling. The filling is a vanilla cream center like a butter cream only sweeter. This filling is thinner than frosting but the texture and consistency reminds me more of frosting than a smooth melting truffle.
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Heatwave and Chocolate
May 6, 2011
A heatwave? That sounds good to me right now. With below normal temperatures in our area throughout April (except for that one glorious day when the temperature spiked to 80), we're left wondering if Spring will ever arrive. Of course, it's been said that of the 4 seasons, Wisconsin gets 3 Winters and a Summer. So maybe we're right on track.
Well, not all is chilly. April 2011 was the warmest April on record for the UK, with records going back over 100 years. For central England tempererature records go back to 1659, and this April beat them all.
So what does this heat have to do with chocolate? It turns out that British chocolate-maker Thorntons saw below expected chocolate sales despite the Easter holiday. They're blaming the heat as the factor that caused people to purchase less chocolate.
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Chocolate Honey Brownies
May 4, 2011
It's Spring! Well, at least according to the calendar. Here in Wisconsin we haven't felt much warmth in the air yet.
Last night on the weather forecast they showed frost and freeze warnings in states south of us. While we were going to be colder, the weatherman said that since we haven't had enough of a warm-up there are no crops in danger, so no need for the warnings here. 🙂
On some of the days where the temperature has gone above 50° I've seen the bees out helping those Spring flowers. They're ready for Spring too. Perhaps this recipe for Chocolate Honey Brownies represents wishful thinking for warmer weather, but they sure sound good!
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Endangered Species Chocolate Bar
May 2, 2011
Endangered Species brand chocolates promotes awareness and conservation of at-risk species of animals. This particular variety (cranberries and almonds) is surrounded by a wrapper that, when you read the inside, increases your knowledge about the struggles of the Gray Wolf.
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Chocolate Marble Cake
April 28, 2011
Sometimes you just need to have a good home made cake, with chocolate in it, of course.
Here's a recipe for a chocolate marble cake. After it cools spread some chocolate frosting on the top and you'll be all set!
| Chocolate Marble Cake • 1/3 cup butter • 1 cup sugar • 2 eggs, well beaten • 1 1/2 cups flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1/2 cup milk • 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate • 1 tablespoon butter • 1 teaspoon vanilla Read more |
Grandessa Irish Chocolate
April 26, 2011
I didn’t know that there were “Irish style” chocolates until I saw a box of chocolates from Grandessa. This box claimed an Irish assortment of filled milk, white, and dark chocolate. To satisfy my curiosity, I bought a box.
The chocolates are uniquely shaped in a square “cup” that holds caramel, lemon meringue, and strawberry truffle. The molded piece is open at the top. The Caramel Sensation is a smooth caramel inside a milk chocolate cup sprinkled with dark mini chocolate chips on the top. The Lemon Supreme is also inside a milk chocolate cup sprinkled with crystalline sugar on the top. And the Sumptuous Strawberry is dusted with a sweet red powder and tucked inside a white chocolate cup.
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