He then teamed up with Henry Nestle, a manufacturer of condensed milk. They came up with the idea of adding condensed milk to chocolate liquor which is a nonalcoholic smooth, thick, and liquid form of chocolate. It is the ground or melted state of the nib of the cacao bean, the purest form of chocolate. Milk chocolate became famous and well-loved by consumers by the 1900’s, and still holds true today.

There is an array of milk chocolate forms. Hot cocoa is among the list, it is a cocoa powder mixed with milk and sugar and heated until hot and smooth. This infamous beverage never failed to make people warm and give a sense of comfort. Also included in the list are liquid milk products, powdered milk products, granule and of course, chocolate bars. One can the goodness of milk chocolate hot or cold, hard or soft, practically any way you want.

Chocolate has people under its spell that basically nobody can break, at least not anytime soon. It is so special to consumers that it has become 2011’s number 1 specialty food, as what has been stated in one of the previous blog posts. And milk chocolate is the most popular with the masses; it is preferred by approximately 80% of the consumers.

If you’re creating a chocolate basket as a gift without knowing the personal preferences of the one you’re planning on giving it to, you can never go wrong if it is filled with milk chocolate treats!

After a person allergic to milk eats a certain food that contains, well, milk, the release of chemicals to supposedly protect the body can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and the cardiovascular system which in turn causes allergy symptoms such as wheezing, abdominal pain, and headache, among many others.

Nowadays, a lot of foods are made with milk and milk products so consumers who are allergic to it have to pay extra attention to what’s in almost everything they consume. Milk allergies are unfortunately more serious than just lactose intolerance as it can cause those who have it to be suddenly and severely ill right after consuming milk or even products that contain such.

Chocolate Decadence of Eugene, OR is recalling certain chocolate products due to undisclosed milk contents. Customers who have milk allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of having serious, even critical, allergic reactions.

The recall was instigated after a customer felt sick after eating the chocolate. Further exploration showed that the chocolate was manufactured where milk chocolate was previously processed.

The recalled products consist of Chocolate Decadence chocolate bars, almond clusters, assorted fruit clusters, chocolate buttons (raspberry, espresso, pure dark, mint, peanut butter), truffles, fudge, and molded chocolates. The said products were dispersed across the country through Internet and retail stores.

Customers who are allergic or sensitive to milk who have already bought Chocolate Decadence  are advised to return it to for a full refund. Those who have further inquiries may contact the company at 1-800-324-5018 or visit their website at www.chocolatedecadence.com.

It always pays to look into what we eat, even when we have the urge to just pig out the moment we see it because that piece of heaven might instantly send you to hell.

Since posts on the internet tend to stay around forever, and product recalls expire, note that Chocolate Decadence posted their alert on September 12, 2011.

I even heard someone jokingly saying, and I am paraphrasing, “I will eat anything covered in chocolate. You can cover a tennis shoe in chocolate and I’d still eat it.” Yes, you read right. Chocolate can certainly get the best out of us sometimes! Haha

Potato chips are one of the most popular and craved snacks enjoyed by many individuals worldwide. It is reportedly one of the most consumed food items next to rice. It is typically sliced thinly and deep fried in oil to come up with crispy potatoes that’s why it is also known as “crisps”.

Some decades back, potato chips were made by peeling potatoes by hand which eventually gave way to machine peelers as these chips were in very high demand.

Manufacturers produce a variety of types of potato chips but the ridged ones are acknowledged as the “yummier” type as it can hold the flavors as opposed to the plain ones. Today, many of these potato chips are available in ridged forms making it ideal for parties and social gatherings. That is the reason why it is also the best choice for this recipe!

Enjoy!

When it comes to fudge, most people would say they like eating it way more than they like making it!

Making fudge is tiresome, tedious work that often ends with unsatisfactory results.  Fudge has to be cooked at a high temperature then cooled while stirred constantly or the sugar will crystallize into a gritty mess.

So, with patience and a gastronomic aptitude one can achieve great fudge.  That is why I like eating it. I don’t possess either one of those fudge making qualities.

Aunt Belle’s Chocolate Fudge (Walker, Minnesota) is what fudge ought to be; smooth and creamy and full of flavor.  I think the majority of people love fudge because it is sweet and tolerates just about any flavor you mix into it.

I counted ten varieties of fudge offered by Aunt Belle’s.  The menu reminded me of ordering in an ice cream shop with Chocolate Walnut, Peppermint, Mint, and Butter Pecan.  There are some unusual selections like Pumpkin, Maple, and White Russian.

My son and I shared a slice of chocolate fudge while we walked around the quaint downtown shopping district of Walker.  The chocolate was mild but flavorful and balanced in spite of the strong sweetness.  Most importantly, the texture was velvety soft.  So while I reported disappointment with Aunt Belle’s Bear Paw, I was quite pleased with the fudge.

Fudge has an interesting history.  The best information I found is an article called The Origin of Fudge at a great website called The Nibble.  Read that article to learn more about fudge in general.

After you‘ve eaten your grilled chicken breasts and pasta salad, try this pairing between Ghirardelli LUXE MILK™ Toffee and Round Hill Chardonnay.

The Milk Chocolate with Toffee has bold buttery and crunchy toffee bits that blend very well with the subtle chocolaty notes and intense creamy flavors of the milk chocolate.  The Chardonnay adds more butter and toffee notes with hints of vanilla, apricot, and spice.

I bought both these items at my local grocery store.  The 2009 Round Hill Chardonnay was a bargain at $6.49 (on their website it still sells for a reasonable $8.00).  I liked the wine by itself, too!

Oh, one more thing.  Just recently, a friend of mine asked me how to pronounce Ghirardelli as she had heard at least two different variations.   Since I also have had that experience, I went to the ultimate authority.  The Ghirardelli website.   

According to the company, you should say Gear-ar-delly!

Now go and enjoy your Toffee Gear-ar-delly with the Round Hill Shar-doe-nay!

Whatever happened to truth in advertising?

I review a lot of chocolate, and I’d be the first to emphasize that anything I report is a matter of subjective opinion and personal preference. That is, what I write is MY personal preference. Just because I like it, doesn’t mean everyone will like it. We all get that.

This time, however, you can take my review as gospel truth and just trust me…. YOU WILL NOT like Sweet Obsession™ chocolate.

Contrary to the tag line that is on the wrapper, this bar is simply the worst chocolate on earth.  At a minimum, it’s one of the worst I have ever tasted.

The Sweet Obsession Milk Chocolate bar is boldly labeled as “Fine European Chocolate.”  I’ve enjoyed fine European chocolate.  This is not it.  European chocolate makers should be embarrassed to see this phrase on these packages.

There were plenty of warning signs before I bought this bar.  In other words, my my expectations were pretty low from the start.

1. The bar sells for $1.00 despite being a larger size (5.3 oz/150 g) than typical chocolate bars.

2. The ingredient statement declares that in addition to cocoa butter there is vegetable fat, and in addition to whole milk there is whey powder.

3. It is imported by a company (Global Brands, LLC) that is “committed to creating and supplying food products that will never cost more than $1.00 retail.” Ok, it really said supplying “extreme value foods,” but that makes it sound like a good thing.

It only took one small bite to confirm my suspicions. The chocolate was gritty, tasteless, and waxy. To punish myself even more, I tried the dark chocolate version and guess what? It was gritty, tasteless, and waxy – only in a darker color!

I bought these extreme value chocolates at the local Pick ‘n Save grocery store. Don’t get sucked in by the price.  And don’t believe, even for a second, that Sweet Obsession makes the finest chocolates on earth!

Beware!

You can definitely guess where this slogan came from. M&M’s® milk chocolate candies are one of the most loved chocolate brands. With a splash of different colors such as green, yellow, blue, brown, violet and orange, M&M’s instantly became an all time favorite for the kids and even those who are still kids at heart.

M&M’s not only satisfy one’s craving for sweets but it has also become a very entertaining tool for fun interactive games. There are a number of virtual games spreading all over the Internet with the use of M&M’s as major characters. These cute M&M’s characters are navigated in a number of virtual adventures games.

Mars, a well-known company that has been manufacturing chocolates for more than 100 years is known as a leader in the chocolate industry. Mars Candy Factory was the one who produced M&M’s chocolate candies during 1941. M&M’s chocolate candies instantly became a fad in the 1940’s and 50’s. It won the heart of the people.  The sweet taste of chocolate combined with a crunchy flavored coating immediately became a hit.

Now here’s the latest coming out of Hackettstown, New Jersey:  Mars Chocolate North America announced that a few of its M&M’s candies are going solo.

The company stated that the M&M’s spokescandy crew that is characterized by the color green, orange, blue, yellow and red opted to go on their separate paths. However, the company is hopeful that the patrons of this sweet treat will help a lot in bringing them back through a new campaign called “Reunite ‘M”.

The contest will run until September 15, 2011. The consumers who participate have the chance to win huge amount of prizes that are valued at more than $1.5 million, including the $100,000 that will only be won by one lucky contestant.

The mechanics are easy. You just have to buy selected packages of M&M’s milk chocolate candies and look for all the five characters printed under the wrapper. You can click on this link to see the official rules of the game.

Mars Chocolate North America chief consumer officer Debra Sandler stated that “Our M&M’s spokescandy crew has literally been the face of our brand for many years, and we’re not taking the news of the separation lightly. We’ve initiated a full-fledged “Reunite ‘M’” campaign and we hope America will join forces to help us get them back together.”

For all the M&M’s milk chocolate lovers out there, you know what to do. Help reunite your favorite spokescandy treats together. Bringing them back together will provide them with a capacity to bond once again and strengthen their relationship.
 

The chocolates are uniquely shaped in a square “cup” that holds caramel, lemon meringue, and strawberry truffle.  The molded piece is open at the top.  The Caramel Sensation is a smooth caramel inside a milk chocolate cup sprinkled with dark mini chocolate chips on the top.  The Lemon Supreme is also inside a milk chocolate cup sprinkled with crystalline sugar on the top.  And the Sumptuous Strawberry is dusted with a sweet red powder and tucked inside a white chocolate cup.

I thoroughly enjoyed the caramel, but the strawberry was way too sweet.  I liked the lemon, and had forgotten how delicious citrus and chocolate combinations are together.  I would have preferred a dark chocolate cup with the lemon, but the milk chocolate was mild and slightly fruity and blended very well as a whole.

The caramel in the caramel cup was smooth and butter.  The dark chocolate chips added a more intense chocolate note to the mix without bringing any bitterness or aftertaste in the finish.

I don’t really believe that these chocolates represent some sort of Irish tradition of chocolate making.  I think the marketing of these chocolates (suspiciously on sale in the States for St. Patrick’s Day) was to give it an Irish spin. 

At least they were good, in spite of the marketing fluff!

Trader Joe’s started out as a small chain of convenience stores in the 1950s under the name of Pronto Markets. In 1967 they changed the name to Trader Joe’s.

I like the line up of chocolates under the Trader Joe’s label.  They are made in the European style but have a price tag of American value.

The Swiss Milk chocolate bar I bought was only $1.99 for 100g.  The bar was smooth and creamy, with a balanced chocolatey baseline highlighted by caramel flavor notes.  The lingering finish was a very pleasant soft buttery taste.

This particular chocolate bar is certified Fair Trade to “help contribute to a better way of life for farmers and their families.  This method of buying cocoa beans and sugar offers small-scale growers a fair price for their harvest.”

I give this store label chocolate both thumbs up; you get great taste at a great price.  I keep a Trader Joe’s Swiss Milk Chocolate in my chocolate drawer as one of my “staples.”

There’s some great information about tasting chocolate as well as pairing chocolate and wine.  Click this link for the full chocolate and wine article.

At the time of the interview they also captured some video as I gave a 2-minute chocolate tasting.  Watch it below.

In the video I talk briefly about tasting a milk chocolate and then a dark chocolate. 

It’s tough to get all the details about chocolate tasting in just a couple minutes.  That’s one reason to enjoy a comprehensive chocolate education at Chocolate University Online.  The first 10 lessons are all about tasting chocolate.