Monthly Archives: February 2012
Chocolate Crepes
February 29, 2012
I wanted to make a soufflé recipe given that yesterday, February 28, was National Chocolate Soufflé Day, but I remembered I have already given you an easy soufflé recipe before. To refresh your mind, a soufflé is a baked cake with a light and airy texture which is basically composed of egg yolks and whipped egg whites along with other basic ingredients.
I'll give you a crepe recipe instead. A crêpe or crepe refers to a thin kind of pancake which is basically composed of wheat flour. Its name is derived from a French word which means "curled". It may have originated in Brittany but it is widely popular in France.
Read more
Solar Energy Helps Melt The Chocolate
February 28, 2012
The manufacturers of the Las Vegas favorites Ethel M Chocolates, Mars Chocolate North America, just recently stated that a solar power system at its Henderson, Nevada, chocolate factory will be opened.
The installation is being referred to as "garden" by Mars since the solar panels are located beside the Botanical Cactus Garden in their factory. During peak hours of operation, it provides all the electrical current required to power up the Ethel M’s plant.
The solar power system is composed of 2,112 solar panels on 4.4 acres mounted into the ground. Allegedly, the installation is the biggest of its kind among manufacturers of food based in Nevada, and it is said to be able to produce 1,258 megawatt hours of electrical current in a year. That would be equal to what 115 average households in Nevada make use of.
Read more
Theo Chocolates and Jane Goodall
February 27, 2012
What Do Theo Chocolates and Jane Goodall Have In Common?
According to the Theo Chocolates website, "The partnership between Theo and Jane Goodall is inspired by 'Cocoa Practices,' a ground breaking Theo Chocolate initiative that brings together small scale cocoa farmers, larger producers, and non-governmental organizations from the world's cocoa producing regions."
Jane Goodall is a United Nations Messenger of Peace. She puts her stamp of approval, "Good For All" seal , on products she feels reflects her personal commitment to supporting the environment, and high quality, ethically produced products from the developing world.
Read more
The Largest Cacao Producing Countries
February 23, 2012
Cacao is cultivated mainly in the lands of Asia, Central and South America, as well as in West Africa. The largest cacao producing countries are Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Indonesia. Such countries account for a huge percentage of the total worldwide production of cacao.
During the beginning of 1970, growing of cacao was almost exclusively done in countries like Brazil and Nigeria as well as Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. Today, the cultivation of cacao has widened its horizons and has reached certain areas like the Pacific region, in which you can observe remarkable growth rates in terms of producing cacao with countries such as Indonesia.
Read more
Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies
February 22, 2012
Cookies can be many things to many people. They can be a daily treat or an occasional guilty pleasure. They can be a midnight snack staple just before you hit the sheets. They can be your go-to food during unannounced visits from friends. They can be practically anything you want them to be. It gets all the better when you throw nutritious stuff into the picture.
A banana can be a delectable dessert all its own since it is sweet by nature. Aside from being delicious, bananas are known for their substantial health benefits. They contain high levels of potassium, fiber, and essential vitamins such as vitamin C and vitamin A.
On the other hand, oatmeal makes a wise choice too when you’re rooting for nutritional content. It’s particularly good for the heart. It’s also proven to lower cholesterol and stabilize sugar in the blood, and also, it can basically boost the immune system.
Read more
Dark Chocolate Can Alleviate PMS Symptoms
February 21, 2012
Premenstrual syndrome or PMS is a collective term for all the physical and emotional symptoms that come with a woman's menstrual cycle. Such symptoms are due to the changes in estrogen and progesterone levels in the female body during women's monthly periods. Often times, these symptoms cause immense discomfort and distress.
Such changes can bring about a domino effect in the body which often leads to a temporary drop in the levels of hormones serotonin and endorphins, both considered to be feel-good hormones.
Being irritable and feeling exhausted all the time are among the most common symptoms experienced when PMS-ing. It goes without saying that it can be such a pain in the neck, but there are measures one can take to somehow alleviate the symptoms.
Read more
Theo Mint Dark Chocolate
February 20, 2012
The Theo Dark Chocolate bar with Mint is made with 70% dark chocolate and a unique blend of spearmint and peppermint.
I love mint. It's one of my top 5 favorite flavor combinations with chocolate. I couldn't imagine enjoying a mint chocolate bar that wasn’t traditional 100% peppermint. You just don’t mess with tradition!
However, I really liked the unusual blend of spearmint with the peppermint.
Read more
Saving The Best Chocolate For Last
February 17, 2012
Ed O'Brien, a researcher in social psychology at the University of Michigan, has written the paper. His idea indicates that our choices are remarkably relying on the moment associated with preference. And one especially critical instant would be the end of the experience.
According to O'Brien's hypothesis, we are enticed by endings or last chances. He said: "I think in everyday life we do have this expectation that we save the best for last."
"When people are given awareness that something is about to end, they're kind of motivated to make the most of that experience," he added.
Read more
Chocolate Kisses
February 16, 2012
In 1907, an exquisite brand-new candy was released, and it was called Hershey's Kisses. Hershey's Kisses is chocolate brand created by The Hershey Company. They are bite-sized and possess a unique shape, typically referred to as flat-bottomed teardrops.
33 million Hershey Kisses are produced in one day in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Curiously, the city was originally named Derry Church, Pennsylvania. It was renamed Hershey in 1906 (one year before the Kiss was developed) after the growing popularity of Hershey's Chocolate.
Hershey's Kisses are individually wrapped in small squares of lightweight aluminum foil which includes a thin strip of paper sticking out from the top. The reason behind its name is not precisely known, but theory has it that they were named after the machine that makes them which looks like lips.
Ever since it was launched, the wrapping process of Kisses has always been the exact same. The tiny flag sticking out of the candy was put in 1924. Currently, their machines could easily wrap around 1,300 of these treats in a minute.
The very first Kisses were wrapped exclusively in silver-colored foil during the earlier times. However, come 1962, colored foils made their way into the picture. This started off a trend over the following years to be able to complement just about any holiday. Red, green, and silver foils were made available during the Christmas season; pastel pink, blue and green foils to celebrate Easter; lastly red and silver foil to harmonize with Valentine's Day.
Up until 1990, no enhancements were done to the chocolate itself. Now, Hershey's franchise put almonds into the candies. They were instantly and popularly accepted and have never gone away. And they've added other variations since.
After more than a hundred years, Hershey's Kisses continue to be a darling in the simple silver foil packaging. The sweet and smooth chocolate flavor has stayed pretty much pristine. They are widely known throughout the world and are recognized right away by practically anybody as one of the little pleasures in life.