Cacao Grown in Fiji
November 23, 2010
There is small chocolate company revitalizing cacao and chocolate production in Fiji.
Adi Chocolate Fiji, is located on the island of Vanua Levu. They make chocolate using two crops grown on the island; Trinitario cacao beans and raw cane sugar.
The owners of the company fell in love with chocolate while running a restaurant and serving homemade chocolate ice cream. In 2007, they began making dark chocolates from their native Fiji cacao.
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Rocky Mountain Orange Peel
November 22, 2010
The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is an international retail franchisor of chocolates and confectionery products. 21 years ago a man named Frank Crail started the company in the old-west town of Durango, Colorado.
I recently tried their version of chocolate-covered candied orange peel. Chocolate-covered orange peel is one of my favorite chocolates, and I like to try various recipes from chocolate shops around the globe.
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Austrian Style Hot Chocolate
November 20, 2010
This hot chocolate recipe is big enough to serve your entire crowd for a holiday party!
Cook it up, grab a mug, and share.
| Austrian Style Hot Chocolate • 30 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, broken in pieces • 10 small strips of orange peel, finely grated • 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 15 cups milk • 2 1/2 cups whipping cream • Grated chocolate or cocoa powder • 30 cinnamon sticks (each approx. 3 inches long) Read more |
Samuel Adams® Chocolate Bock
November 19, 2010
Hey, let’s talk about beer again. A few months ago we had a guest author blog about chocolate AND beer. This time we’ll talk about chocolate IN beer!
Many chocolate beer makers will use a type of malted barley called chocolate malt. Chocolate malt is similar to other malts but cooked at even higher temperatures. This dark roast produces a more complex flavor with undertones of vanilla and caramel. The color also becomes dark.
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The Fineness of Grind
November 18, 2010
Why does one brand of chocolate bar feel so velvety smooth in your mouth but the next one feel so rough?
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty, shall we? (pun intended!) It all depends on particle size, or the fineness of grind.
When cocoa beans are shelled and roasted, the nibs are ground up and heated to form fluid chocolate called chocolate liquor, cocoa mass, or unsweetened chocolate. When chocolate liquor is then blended with other ingredients like sugar and milk powder, the resulting paste is ground up even further. This process is called “refining.”
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Chocolate-Banana Swirl Cupcakes
November 17, 2010
Here a delightful combination of chocolate and banana, in a cupcake form.
For a delicious variation of this recipe you can replace the banana with your favorite winter squash or pumpkin!
| Chocolate-Banana Swirl Cupcakes • 6 tbsp butter, softened • 2/3 cup sugar • 1/2 tsp salt • 2 large eggs • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract • 1 ¼ cup flour • 1/2 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp baking soda • 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (approx. 1 large ripe banana) • 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted over a double boiler Read more |
Cacao, a Product of Global Warming?
November 16, 2010
There is evidence of a past warming period in Earth’s history. A previous spell of global warming, if you will.
Scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute participated with other organizations in a research study to find out what effects global warming on our planet’s past vegetation – and by past, I mean the Paleocene Epoch!
Something really interesting caught my attention as I was reading a summary of the findings. Contrary to the belief that tropical forests were devastated under the conditions of global warming, new plants evolved at a faster rate than ones that became extinct. Pollen from the cacao plant family (and the passionflower plant family) appeared suddenly, for the first time, during this warming event.
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Niederegger Marzipan
November 15, 2010
It’s just one of nature’s great taste combinations... chocolate and almond. And if you take the almond and grind it up and add some sugar, you create marzipan, another great taste sensation with chocolate.
Niederegger Chocolates, headquartered in Lübeck, Germany, makes some of the most delicious chocolate covered marzipan. I enjoy many brands of marzipan, but I am particularly fond of Niederegger.
Be careful! Some confectionery products that are sold as marzipan are made from soy paste and flavored with almond.
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Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
November 13, 2010
I love baking brownies on a cold, blustery day like today. I love smelling the chocolate cooking in the oven; the way the brownies steam when I cut them in the pan; and the way the vanilla ice cream melts after I drop a scoop on the top. Ah!
The complete experience should be shared with a loved one.
| Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies • 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped • 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped • 16 ounces cream cheese, softened • 2 cups sugar • 4 eggs • 1 tablespoon vanilla • 1 cup butter, softened • 1 cup flour • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/2 cup raspberry jam Read more |
Wearing Chocolate
November 12, 2010
I firmly believe in eating chocolate, not wearing it.
Not so, for the fashion models kicking off the 13th annual New York Chocolate Show. The models walk down the run way wearing outfits made of chocolate.
The New York Chocolate Show is one of the nation’s largest events dedicated to chocolate.
More than 65 fine chocolate companies are featured and will present an assortment of fine chocolates.
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