Author Archive: Bryn Kirk
Kashi Cocoa Beach Granola
August 23, 2010
Kashi company, www.kashi.com, started in 1984 with their first creation of a “unique blend of Seven Whole Grains and Sesame for its supreme nutritional profile — a vegetarian source of protein and complex carbohydrates that’s hearty, satisfying, and energizing.”
I recently tried their Cocoa Beach granola cereal. The cereal has almonds, coconut, and granola clusters all coated in cocoa.
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Lecithin in Chocolate
August 22, 2010
Take a look at an ingredient label on a bar of chocolate. 9 times out of 10 you will see soy lecithin listed there.
Is using lecithin as an ingredient in chocolate important, and what is the benefit of using it?
Sugar-Free Chocolate Nut Cookies
August 21, 2010
If you are diabetic or have to watch your sugar intake, check out this recipe. I recommend using a dark, rich, “gourmet” type cocoa powder for maximum chocolate impact!
| Sugar-Free Chocolate Nut Cookies • 5 Tablespoons butter • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder • ¼ cup cream • 1½ teaspoon vanilla • ½ teaspoon salt • 1 cup sucralose (Splenda) or preferred sugar substitute to replace 1 cup granulated sugar • 4 eggs • ½ cup flour • ½ cup dried shredded coconut • 36 almond or macadamia Read more |
Travels with a Sweet-Tooth
August 20, 2010
According to the TripAdvisor website, www.tripadvisor.com, they have come up with a list of US attractions that satisfy a sweet-tooth.
Not all of these include chocolate, but I thought the list was pretty interesting anyway.
Here you are (drum roll please) the top 10 US destinations for the lovers of all things sweet!
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Look! It’s a Bean to Bar Chocolate
August 19, 2010
Every now and again you will come across an article, a chocolate bar, or a chocolate company that will draw attention to Bean To Bar processing.
Bean to bar means quite literally that the product was manufactured from the roasting and grinding of the bean to the tempering and packaging of 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 |
Is Chocolate Good for Pregnancy?
August 17, 2010
Eat chocolate if you're pregnant, research says. As if a woman, pregnant or not, needs an excuse to eat chocolate!
A recent study has shown that the beneficial effects of chocolate can lower cardiovascular problems and prevent hypertension during pregnancy.
The antioxidants and flavanols in chocolate may protect cells from damage caused by oxidation and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The exact mechanism of the cardioprotective properties in chocolate are unknown, but the positive effects are well documented.
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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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How Much Caffeine is in Chocolate?
August 15, 2010
I can’t talk about caffeine without mentioning another similar chemical called theobromine. So, I’ll discuss both and even compare some things between them.
There are two chemicals present in chocolate that qualify as stimulants (alkaloid molecules known as methylxanthines), caffeine and theobromine. Theobromine affects people in a similar way to caffeine but is much weaker. Although there is significantly more theobromine in chocolate than caffeine, it triggers these “caffeine affects” on a much smaller scale.
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Peanut Butter and Chocolate
August 14, 2010
You can probably guess what PB&J means. Peanut Butter and Jelly. PB&J is a classic American combination mostly reminiscent of childhood. Now that you are grown up, I suggest you switch to a more sophisticated flavor combination – Peanut Butter and Chocolate. Can we call it PB&C?
The most accepted theory of who put peanut butter and chocolate together is the story of H.B. Reese. Mr. Reese started out as a dairy employee for Hershey Chocolate Company in the 1920’s. He soon ventured out to start his own company and began to manufacture a single product called peanut butter cups, known today as REESE'S Peanut Butter Cups.
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