Chocolate Heaven Since 1911
September 2, 2011
The title is one of the advertising slogans of Thorntons, a household name in UK for chocolate retailing. The company was established in 1911 by Joseph William Thornton who eventually turned the business over to his sons, Norman and Stanley Thornton. Since then, it has always been Britain’s go-to store when it comes to high-quality chocolates.
This year, it celebrates its Centenary birthday. And what better way to celebrate their 100th birthday than sharing it with their customers?
The first ever Thortons chocolate shop was opened in Sheffield in the year 1911 and it was called the Chocolate Kabin where you are magically transported into a chocolate heaven as you step inside the store. Today, as a Centenary birthday treat, Thorntons wants to give their customers a chance to experience such delight. They excitedly bring you the recreated Thorntons Chocolate Kabin where a Golden Key to the chocolate factory is hidden. And the lucky winner gets to be Willy Wonka for a day! Isn’t that such a sweet treat?
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Why Women Crave Chocolates
September 1, 2011
We all have chocolate cravings, but women seem to have stronger desire for it than men do. Why is it so? Research has found that these cravings may be in relation to blood sugar levels, stress and hormonal changes caused by a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Chocolates have sugar and caffeine content and these can alter your blood sugar levels. One reason why we sometimes crave chocolates is because sugar in our blood hits the low levels and chocolates can be a good source of a quick sugar fix.
Eating chocolate never fails to make you feel good and this is due to the serotonin which is a neurotransmitter that can enhance the mood. This is the main reason why chocolate is a renowned comfort food.
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Chocolate Bananas
August 31, 2011
When you deprive yourself of something you totally love, you are on the road to a major downfall. Case in point: chocolates. So it is best you think of ways to gratify your yearning when your sweet tooth kicks in.
A banana per se makes for a good dessert as it is sweet by nature. It is also an excellent choice for those who put a premium on their health. A banana alone, though, can get pretty boring.
Stay on track with eating wisely while making it a point to satisfy your sweet-tooth craving. It may sound contradictory, but as with almost all things, keeping it in proportion is key.
Bananas are well-known for their naturally sweet taste, their high content of potassium, fiber and other vitamins such as C and A.
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Chocolate Categories and Pairings
August 30, 2011
Over the last couple of centuries, the cacao bean been has been used in many different ways such as medicine, as money, etc. But today, we eat it almost exclusively for pleasure.
There are different varieties of cacao beans and it has been said that each strain has been significantly changed due to its tree’s ability to naturally cross-pollinate, not to mention all the intended hybridization of the cacao bean for the past centuries.
Cacao beans go through a lot of processing to produce the chocolate we all love. They are harvested, fermented, dried, roasted, and ground to make chocolate liquor, which is then further processed into cocoa solids and cocoa butter.
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Chocolate Pecan Caramel and Petite Sirah
August 29, 2011
During a recent chocolate and wine tasting program, I introduced the pairing of a dark chocolate covered pecan and caramel cluster with a Bogle Petite Sirah.
Looking for a wine that would work with cluster, I described what I needed and then took the suggestion from a very knowledgeable wine guru. But up until serving it, I had not tried this particular combination. This always makes me a bit nervous because I am using something unfamiliar, yet I’m simultaneously excited to try something new.
The pairing did not disappoint! This wonderful twosome worked great in the tasting and would also be a very satisfying after dinner treat.
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Health Benefits of Chocolate
August 26, 2011
Gone are the days when chocolate practically screams “unhealthy”. Today, consumption of chocolate in appropriate amounts can actually be beneficial for you, health-wise. And it goes without saying that you should have the right kind of chocolates in hand, not the ones loaded with sugar and other not-so-healthy stuff.
Contrary to popular belief, eating chocolates can possibly improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and the risk of having diabetes. As strange as it may sound, it is true according to Harvard researchers. This study involved a review of 24 studies and 1,106 participants. And the said health benefits are due to the chocolate’s content called flavonoids which are of highest levels in the dark variants. Like I said, the right kind of chocolates, always keep that in mind.
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The Beginning of Chocolate
August 25, 2011
Chocolate has been around for millennia now, and the history is extremely long and diverse. The earliest references of chocolate were over fifteen hundred years ago in the Central American Rain Forest, an ideal environment for the cultivation of the Cacao Tree because of the mix of high rain fall, temperature and humidity.
The Mayan culture worshiped the Cacao tree as they believed it was of divine origin and it symbolized life and fertility. Cacao is actually a Mayan word which meant “God Food”, modernly coined as “Food of the Gods”. The Mayans were believed to be brewing and drinking this spicy bittersweet beverage by roasting, grinding and fermenting the seeds of the Cacao Tree. This was intended for the wealthy and elite.
The Aztecs, like Mayans, also have their own version of the fermented drink and they called it Xocolatl, meaning “bitter water”. Their Emperor, Montezuma, allegedly believed that this was an aphrodisiac, and drank almost 50 cups a day. The beans were even used as currency and considered as treasure that when Spaniards came and searched for gold and silver, they found no more than the beans.
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Chocolate Truffles
August 24, 2011
“There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and chocolate truffles.” This chocolate quote surely makes sense to all the chocolate lovers out there.
Chocolate truffles are an immensely delicious treat any time of day and any day of the year. But did you know that they are named after the fungus, the fruiting bodies of underground mushrooms, because of their resemblance as it looks a lot like the dirt?
Chocolate truffles are typically made with ganache which is a mixture of chocolate and cream, but can also be made with centers such as mints and walnuts then served in variety of ways such as covering it with crumbled nuts, shredded coconut, or confectioner’s sugar. These may look intimidating but actually are very easy to prepare, the only difficulty you’ll ever have here is the dilemma of whether to grab another bite or not!
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Science of Chocolate
August 23, 2011
Have you ever tried munching on chocolates and then think about its fragile crystal structure? Or do you even wonder about its milk protein contents as this melt-in-your-mouth goodness touches your palate? I bet no. The only thing you can think of is whether to get another bar or not, but there are people who take interest in this kind of scientific stuff.
Galit Segev, a chef and a biochemist in the pharmaceutical industry, enjoys her chocolates but is also enthralled by its physical properties. Having a background in such field, she is normally interested in why certain foods react variedly to certain cooking techniques.
She just recently had a part in the Ultimo Science Week talking about the science of chocolate such as how these treats are manufactured. From soil to your mouth, she gave a talk about what makes for a quality chocolate.
Chocolate Sunblock
August 19, 2011
Chocolate as a skin care product? Say what? It is being said that ingesting chocolate (not putting on the skin!) does not only satisfy sweet tooth cravings but also protects against sunburn now. Sounds wacky, doesn’t it? Gone are the days when chocolate was generally synonymous to bad skin. Imagine enjoying in this decadent treat and seeing your skin get better than ever!
Chocolate happens to have a significant amount of protective antioxidants known as Polyphenols (also found in coffee and wine) which makes it possible for you to indulge in its skin benefit due to its ability to reduce ongoing cellular damage. This certain compound, according to studies, does not only enrich the skin but it also offers protection from harmful UV light exposure making skin less sensitive to the sun. Polyphenols are said to increase blood flow close to the skin causing all these skin improvements.
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