American Chocolate Holidays
October 27, 2009
Today I caught myself absent-mindedly jumping from website to website (I think this is the equivalent to channel surfing) when I landed on a site dedicated to listing American holidays. What really caught my attention was the list of American FOOD Holidays. Hey, did you know that each day of the year has an assigned food to worship?
Here are some examples:
- January 16 -- National Fig Newton Day
- February 7 -- National Fettuccine Alfredo Day
- March 23 -- National Chip and Dip Day
- April 6 -- National Caramel Popcorn Day
And so on...
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Other Fine Foods and Drinks
October 23, 2009
Recently Bryn wrote a post about experiencing fine chocolate. I'm wondering what other fine foods and/or drinks you might enjoy?
People who have a strong love for chocolate often enjoy other fine foods and beverages as well. Perhaps you like drinks such as coffee, wine, or scotch.
Are you picky about your morning cup of coffee? Do you want a gourmet blend with exquisite flavor? Or will any dark-brown sludge do as long as its got caffeine?
Do you like a fine French Bordeaux wine or do you pick up the $2.95 bottle of "Red?"
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Experiencing Fine Chocolate
October 13, 2009
Some people compare a fine chocolate to a fine wine. I do too. How about you? If so, isn’t it about time you know what to “look for” and how to “taste” fine chocolate?
The Aroma
Smell the chocolate. Concentrate on the intensity of the aroma and the many different scents you can identify. Some of the most common scents in chocolate are vanilla, honey, milk, fruit, spice, and roasted nut.
If you have trouble smelling something, gently put your finger on the surface and melt a small bit of chocolate to release the aroma and try again.
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How to Temper Chocolate (Step 2 – Finish)
October 8, 2009
When you buy chocolate in the store, it is already tempered. (At least it should be!) Basically this means it is in a stable solid form at room temperature.
If you want to get down to the business of eating the chocolate straight out of the package, no problem, just break off a chunk and go to it! But, if you want to use the chocolate for any other purpose you may have to re-temper.
This is the final part in my series of tempering chocolate. The first article was about the importance of tempering chocolate. The last article was about melting the chocolate to get ready for tempering.
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Molinillo – Unique Chocolate Gift Idea
October 3, 2009
I like kitchen gadgets, baking tools, and small appliances. Sometimes I even use them! (lol). I especially love chocolate paraphernalia.
This tool was invented by the Spanish colonists in Mexico around the 1700's. The first molinillos were made to fit into a container with the handle sticking out of the top. Then the user would rapidly rotate the molinillo between his/her palms. The twisting motion frothed the chocolate.
How to Temper Chocolate (Step 1 – Melt It)
September 14, 2009
The first step in tempering chocolate is melting the chocolate... Properly!
You might be thinking, what's the big deal about melting chocolate?
Chocolate is a low melting point food. It melts just below human body temperature. While this low melting point means it’s easy to melt in the mouth, it also means it’s easy to burn when direct heat is used. Overheating chocolate will cause it to burn. Burnt chocolate is irreversibly damaged and cannot be used.
In addition to burning, another potential problem when melting chocolate is "seizing". This can happen if you use an indirect heating method like a hot water and a double boiler. Small amounts of water will cause the chocolate to “seize” or become hard and crumbly. Seized chocolate is irreversibly damaged and cannot be used.
Need a Chocolate Fix?
September 9, 2009
In one of our weekly lessons we suggest that our students think outside the box looking for other chocolate related products. One of our students reported that she found a product called Chocolate Fix. This is an idea of thinking inside the "chocolate box."
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Godiva Chocoiste – Milk Chocolate Whole Cashews
September 4, 2009
Godiva has a line of chocolates that, according to their website, are more decadent and more portable. They call it ChocoisteTM.
I recently tried their Milk Chocolate Whole Cashews and I must say I enjoyed them very much! My 
chocolate preference is dark, but I do enjoy a milk once in a while. The reason I enjoyed this particular milk chocolate and cashew combination is the way the milk chocolate pulls out the bold, buttery, and salty flavor notes from the nuts and enhances them.
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My Dog Ate My Homework
September 2, 2009
Remember that fun excuse, "My dog ate my homework?" Everyone knew it wasn't true, yet it always made the rounds, year after year, at least in jest if not seriously...
Well, that excuse isn't very good at Chocolate University Online. Since your homework is chocolate, you'd better hope your dog doesn't eat it! We'd hate for you to get behind on your homework tending to a sick dog.
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