Green and Black’s Miniature Bar Collection
August 9, 2010
I am hard pressed to think of a box of chocolates that claims to be everything to everyone, but I may have hit the jack pot with Green and Black’s Miniature Bar Collection.
The collection contains milk chocolate, dark chocolate, almonds, butterscotch candy bits, crystallized ginger, dried sour cherries. Everything’s organic. The tasting samples are the perfect size. Also suitable for vegetarians. Did I miss anything?
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Working With Chocolate and Caramel Filling
August 8, 2010
One of my email subscribers was wondering how chocolate candies made with high water content fillings, like caramel, can seemingly withstand blooming or other adverse effects?
It is true that even the smallest amount of water and chocolate don’t get along. The combination often leads to problems like seizing and sugar bloom. Yet, you can buy chocolate-covered caramels and see for yourself that they look good and tastes good. They have a fairly decent shelf life, too.
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Grilling with Cocoa Nibs
August 7, 2010
From Martha Stewert to Scharffen Berger to the Food Network, it appears that cooking with cocoa nibs is “in”!
And why not? Besides the great flavor and a nice crunch, nibs have nutritional benefits as well. Cacao contains antioxidants that are known to reduce blood clotting, improve circulation, and help regulate blood pressure. Antioxidants also protect us from environmental pollutants and help repair damage caused by free radicals.
Cocoa or Cacao Nibs are roasted cocoa beans that have been separated from their shells/husks. You can buy them in health food stores, or online.
Scharffen Berger is a chocolate company that sells nibs online. They also have a great collection of recipes, and some of them are listed under the Savory category. One unique recipe is the nib rub for steak on the grill.
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The Finest Camel Milk Chocolate
August 6, 2010
No, you did not read that wrong and I did not mistype caramel.
There is something new in the milk chocolate world – one made with camel’s milk instead of cow’s milk!
According to the Al-Nassma Chocolate website, camel’s milk makes great milk chocolate, and it’s healthier than cow’s milk.
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Categories of Cocoa Beans
August 5, 2010
The chocolate world divides cocoa beans into two general categories: Flavor Beans (varieties Criollo or Trinitario) and Bulk Beans (variety Forestero).
There are some exceptions to this system, but general speaking this is how the cocoa market categorizes cocoa beans.
The percentage of flavor beans in the total world production of cocoa beans is only around 5% per year. Virtually all the cocoa harvested is classified as bulk cocoa.
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Cranberries and White “Chocolate” Chips
August 4, 2010
Maybe it’s because I live in a cranberry growing state that I enjoy them so much...
Cranberries are a frequent addition to my diet. I sprinkle dried cranberries on my granola cereal in the morning. I put them in muffins, pancakes, and sweet breads. I eat cranberries jellied and sauced, in relish and salsa. After the holidays, cranberries come down in price so I stock up and freeze them to keep them on hand.
Cranberries pair really well with the white chips in this recipe because the sweetness from the chips balances the tartness from the cranberries.
This recipe is one of my favorites. Keep one frozen and take it out when company arrives.
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Coffee Candy Bar?
August 3, 2010
Here is something unusual in the chocolate world, especially since it isn’t chocolate.
Sahagun Handmade Chocolates has introduced this 100% COFFEE bar that looks like a traditional chocolate bar.
“Feel Good” Chocolate that Tastes Good Too
August 2, 2010
Seeds of Change says their chocolates are “a happy accident” that began as a mission to preserve organic and heirloom seeds from getting swept away by a progressive industrial agriculture. Their appetite for change lead them directly to chocolate as part of their search for delicious organic food.
My first experience with Seeds of Change came from an organic dark chocolate orange and fig chocolate bar. The fig flavor comes from fragrant, dried, and chewy pieces of fig; while the orange flavor comes from oil of orange. The combination is remarkably delicious. The texture is very unique because the fig not only offers the chewiness but also the crunch of tiny seeds.
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Chocolate and Beer Pairing – Pale Ales
August 1, 2010
In the opening post of this series I mentioned that there are three categories of beer that pair well with chocolates.
The third group of beers include pale, bitter beers, such as India Pale Ales. These also tend to do well when paired with chocolate…
India Pale Ale was created in the 1820’s for the voyages between England and India. The three month voyage would have to cross the equator twice. So not only was the journey long, but it was also quite warm. Since time and high temperatures are bad for beer preservation, typical beers sent to India arrived in very poor condition.
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