Tag Archive: dark chocolate
Chocolate for End of Ramadan Celebration
September 10, 2010
Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Fitr, a three-day feast that marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Special foods are prepared and eaten during Eid. Some of those dishes are prepared days before Eid because it takes so long to prepare and cook them.
It's interesting that chocolate has become a recent tradition to help celebrate Eid. The younger generation prefers the chocolate over some of the more tradional sweets.
As a result some chocolate shops may experience the highest sales orders of the year at the beginning of Ramadan.
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Chocolate Almond Biscotti
September 8, 2010
The Italian word “biscotto” means biscuit or cookie. If you take the word apart, “bis” means twice and “cotto” means baked. This delicious treat literally means twice baked but for me, it should really translate to “twice the work!”
The roots of biscotti can be traced back to Roman times, although modern biscotti are associated with the Tuscan region of Italy. The original purpose for baking the dough a second time was to dry out the cookie in order to make it last during long-distance travel.
The longest distance my biscotti travel is from my oven to my mouth. So, why do I bother putting up with all this work? It is so worth it! Make a batch and find out for yourself.
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The Shelf Life of Chocolate
August 29, 2010
It's Q&A time. Here is another question from a subscriber:
"Once chocolate has been melted, how long is it good for once it has been molded (again)?"
Chocolate is a very versatile and tolerant product to work with, the nuances of tempering aside. Chocolate can be melted, tempered and molded, re-melted, re-tempered and re-molded, again and again.
The shelf life of chocolate depends on whether it is milk or dark and whether or not it has inclusions like nuts, coconut, or dried fruit.
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Tired Of Eating Chocolate?
August 27, 2010
Is it really possible to get sick of eating chocolate?
According to feedback from participants in a medical research study out of Australia, it is! What, no way! Sure enough, read on...
Heart patients were given 50 grams of 70% chocolate to be consumed daily as medicine during a research study on how the antioxidants in chocolate help control blood pressure.
By the end of the study, many participants said they would rather take a pill containing the antioxidants than eat any more chocolate. About half the people in the study found the chocolate difficult to eat because of the strong flavor and about 20 percent “considered it an unacceptable long-term treatment option” over the concern for the fat and calories from the chocolate.
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Chocolate Dessert for Grown-Ups
August 18, 2010
Hot days call for cool treats. Who am I kidding? I would eat this on any day regardless of temperature!
Chocolate Chambord Sorbet 4 cups water 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup cocoa powder 8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped 3/4 cup Chambord (raspberry-flavored liqueur) Read more |
Chocolatier Hachez
August 16, 2010
In 1890 Joseph Emile Hachez, originally from Belgium, established the Bremer Hachez Chocolade Company in Bremen, Germany.
In 1922, they began producing what would become their signature product, a chocolate autumn leaf called Brown Leaves.
Brown Leaves comes in either solid milk or dark chocolate or praline leaves filled with fine nougat. This traditional line of chocolates is only part of what they offer now.
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Chocolate and Balsamic Vinegar Pair Well
July 24, 2010
Chocolate and balsamic vinegar doesn’t sound like it would make a good couple, but I recently had a reason to try it. My sister gave me a bottle of Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar by Oro di Oliva for my birthday.
This unique vinegar makes an outstanding marinade for chicken or pork or pour it over fresh berries. On the Oro di Oliva label, it is suggested I drizzle it on ice cream – strange, but I’ll try it!
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