Monthly Archives: October 2009
Chocolate Definitions
October 29, 2009
Confusion in the world of chocolate?
You might think, "there’s nothing confusing about chocolate -- you buy it, you eat it!" The reality is, the chocolate world has its own lingo, with terms and definitions that apply to the tasting of chocolate, the baking and cooking of chocolate, and the making of chocolate confections.
To help you keep it all straight, here is a list of some common chocolate vocabulary along with their definitions...
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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
May 7 -- National Roast Leg of Lamb 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.
The molinillo (pronounced moh-lee-NEE-yoh) is the Mexican chocolate whisk. It is a "stirrer," typically made of wood and used to froth warm drinks such as hot chocolate.
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.