Chocolate and Beer Pairing
June 16, 2010
When most people think about pairing chocolate with an alcoholic beverage the product they usually consider is wine. However, there are components in wine which can make these pairings difficult and often unpredictable.
Tannins in red wine can make dark chocolates seem more bitter, and the acidity in wines often does not balance well with the chocolate. Because of the variation in wine styles, even within varietals, it’s often difficult to generalize about ideal wine and chocolate pairings.
Read more
Is Milk Chocolate Inferior to Dark Chocolate?
June 8, 2010
I was asked a question like this recently, "is milk chocolate considered inferior to dark chocolate?"
Not as “in”? Yes.
Read more
Chocolate-Themed Party
June 1, 2010
Generally speaking, I think parties with a theme are easier to plan and more fun to attend.
Using chocolate as the star of your party appeals to all ages, genders, and budgets. And it works great for the party–poopers, too. Ever had the pleasure (or obligation) of trying to throw a party for the person who says “Don’t throw me a party, I hate parties!”?
I bet they won’t turn down a party in which chocolate is the center of attention.
If you are planning a kid’s birthday party, what could better than making it a chocolate party?
Read more
Cocoa Bean Shells Make Great Mulch
May 26, 2010
I love the smell of my flower bed after it rains. Ahhhh, it smells so chocolatey!
Yep, that’s right, an aroma like brownies baking in an oven. I use cocoa bean shells for mulch and it is true that when it gets wet, it smells delightfully like chocolate.
As the name indicates, cocoa shell mulch is made from the shell of the cocoa bean. These shells come off the bean either during or just prior to the roasting process. The shells are cleaned and packaged for sale as mulch.
Read more
Chocolate Board Game
May 19, 2010
Chocolate-opoly is a decadently delicious property trading game for chocolate lovers. Come again?
Read more
Chocolate, Massage, What?
May 14, 2010
I just tried chocolate scented therapeutic massage oil...
🙂
What more is there to say?
Bryn
Read more
Hints for Molding Chocolate
May 10, 2010
This is the second part of the series. If you missed the first part, or you'd like a review, please see Tips for Molding Chocolate.
Now that you're caught up, here are my Extra Special Helpful Hints when working with chocolate molds.
Read more
Mother’s Day and Chocolate
May 4, 2010
Those two things, Mother's Day and Chocolate, just fit together nicely, don’t they?
Mother's Day is celebrated on different days and different months depending on which country you live in. In the United States, it is always celebrated on the second Sunday in May.
We can thank Anna Jarvis for this great day. She is the one credited for founding Mothers Day in the US.
How do you choose the perfect chocolate for Mom?
Read more
Cupcakes Rule!
May 1, 2010
A couple weeks ago I attended an event that included a lunch buffet. I love buffets, especially the all-you-can-eat-dessert part of a buffet.
Read more
Tips for Molding Chocolate
April 29, 2010
Molded Chocolate (not to be confused with moldy chocolate!), or chocolate from molds (moulds), has been around for a long time.
Most chocolate molds are made of either metal or plastic. They can be flat, to shape chocolate like a candy bar, or three dimensional, to shape like an Easter bunny.
If you are a beginner at working with chocolate, start with a flat plastic mold with small cavities of simple shapes. You can buy these at craft stores or baking/candy supply stores or online at a number of candy-making supply websites.
Read more