Chocolate and Romance: A Great Pairing

February 8, 2010

No one knows for sure how St. Valentines Day became synonymous with romantic love. There are a number of theories, but that is not really important.  Once the tradition got started, all kinds of things naturally presented themselves as part of the language of love...

Like chocolate, for instance.
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Trader Joe’s Milk and Dark Chocolate

February 4, 2010

The bright purple wrapper of Trader Joe’s Organic Super Dark Chocolate and the equally bright pink packaging of Trader Joe’s Swiss Milk Chocolate certainly catch the attention of shoppers lining up in the check out lane.  But what really got MY attention were the claims on the label.

The organic, 73% super dark chocolate bar reads “this bar is not for the faint of heart.”   The Swiss milk says “incomparable flavor!”
Hmmm. Sounds like challenges I can’t ignore!

In order to collect as much data as possible, I took the bars to the office and shared the tasting experience with my work mates. 
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Chocolate Covered Strawberries

February 2, 2010

Have you ever cut corners while cooking?  Ever used short cuts that the original recipe had you make from scratch? 

I have.  And why not?  Most often those “changes” don’t affect the final product and it saves lots of time.  Yes, sometimes I even buy frosting in a can (shhh, don’t tell my kids!).

One thing I have learned from my experience working with chocolate is that there are some short cuts that work and some that don’t.
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Healthy Chocolate

January 26, 2010

According to the USDA website, www.usda.gov, chocolate and cocoa powder contain “hefty quantities of natural antioxidants called flavonoids…..antioxidants are thought to be effective in helping to prevent cancer, heart disease, and stroke.”

How do anti-oxidants help us?   “Anti”-oxidants counteract the negative effects of oxidation on our bodies.  Oxidation damages cells and tissues.  What is oxidation, you ask?
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Spectacular Chocolate and Coffee Pairing

January 22, 2010

I was recently introduced to of Seattle Reign a coffee from North Star Fine Coffees.  This morning I sipped a delicious brew of the coffee and quietly ate my chocolate donut, trying to get some work done.

At one point I was rolling the two around my mouth at the same time, coffee and chocolate, chocolate and coffee...  Then I experienced a new flavor emerge as I swallowed. 

This got me thinking about chocolate and coffee pairings!
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Chocolate Cheerios

January 18, 2010

It has been a while since I had Cheerios for breakfast.  For me, Cheerios was the cereal I fed my toddler to keep him quiet in church, not something I was interested in eating for breakfast.  What got my attention recently is the new Chocolate Cheerios.

According to the Cheerios website, Chocolate Cheerios is “a perfect balance of whole grain goodness and a delicious touch of chocolate taste in every bite.” 

I am a fan of whole grain goodness, but I am even more a fan of chocolate! 
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Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes

January 9, 2010

Back in 1909 Walter Baker & Co., Ltd. published a little book called Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes By Miss Parloa and Home Made Candy Recipes By Mrs. Janet McKenzie Hill.

The staff here at Chocolate University Online have created a special 100th anniversary edition of this book and released it in a PDF download format.
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Valrhona Chocolate at the Grocery Store

January 2, 2010

I dislike grocery shopping.  Yet, once in a while, I do have brief feelings of enjoyment when I discover something unexpected.

During my most recent trip to the store I found myself downright giddy.  My thrill came from a new addition in the candy/chocolate aisle – a line of chocolate bars from Valrhona.  It was like finding gemstones among rocks.

Valrhona is known as a top leader in the world of chocolate, Le Grand Chocolat.  They were founded in 1922 in France.  They have a reputation for supplying the finest chocolate ingredients to restaurants, bakeries, and chocolate shops.
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Confessions of a Chocoholic

December 31, 2009

I recently taught a chocolate and wine tasting seminar.  We tasted delicious, hand-made chocolates from local chocolate shops.  Afterward, one of the attendees took me aside and made a confession... 

She said I did a great job pointing out the reasons to fall in love with gourmet chocolate, but that sometimes she just wants a big handful of M&Ms.  She wondered if something was wrong with her.

Perhaps there are many things wrong with her, but I don’t think craving M&M’s is one of them!  🙂  A large part of enjoying chocolate involves memories of our early chocolate experiences.  Children as young as age 9-11 start to prefer chocolate over other candy.
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Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

December 22, 2009

I recently took a cruise to the eastern Caribbean with Royal Caribbean International.  Although I loved the sun, fun, and sea, what I really enjoyed were some of the most memorable desserts I have ever been eaten.

molten chocolate lava cakeOne those desserts that will forever stand out for me was the Molten Chocolate Cake.
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