New York Chocolate Show
November 11, 2011
Event International is presenting a show that would make any chocophile’s heart melt. The 14th Annual New York Chocolate Show, the largest event solely dedicated to chocolate, started yesterday November 10th and will be taking place until Sunday November 13th at the Metropolitan Pavilion on 125 W 18th St.
More than 65 national and international chocolate companies are gathering to offer their finest chocolates and chocolate-inspired products to entice all the chocoholics who will pay a visit.
Hurry up and get to the show! You don’t want miss the chance to treat yourself to different head-tilting good chocolates in this once a year event. If you have any self-control remaining, you can even buy chocolates for the self-confessed chocoholics you may personally know.
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The Guardian of Chocolate?
November 10, 2011
If you already have gone through the previous blog posts, you may have learned that chocolate can trace its origins back to the Aztecs. They have associated cacao trees with the god of agriculture, Quetzalcoatl. Legend has it that Quetzalcoatl was held responsible for bringing cacao to earth. His actions were frowned upon so he got kicked out of the heavens for giving it to humans. As he escaped, he swore to return one day as a “fair-skinned bearded man” to save the earth.
The earliest Aztecs highly thought of the cacao plant. They considered it as a source of strength and wealth and Quetzalcoatl was said to be its guardian which explains why cacao beans were used as their form of currency.
The Aztecs were among the first ones to work with cacao beans. However, they initially didn’t use this for any culinary purpose whatsoever. They only developed interest in its edibility after observing certain animals, particularly monkeys. This is why only the pulp of the cacao tree was used at first, only after a while did they start utilizing the beans.
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Easy Chocolate Soufflé
November 9, 2011
As much as soufflés sound and look intimidating, they are totally easy and simple to prepare. If done right, they can be served as a savory main dish or a sweet dessert like this Easy Chocolate Soufflé Recipe.
A soufflé is a baked cake with a light and airy texture, basically composed of egg yolks and whipped egg whites along with other uncomplicated ingredients.
The term was derived from the French word 'souffler' which means "to blow up" or "puff up”. In accordance with its name, a soufflé should be puffed up and fluffy when it comes out of the oven.
Ramekins are the conventional container for soufflés but it is still your call where you want it placed. There is an array of soufflé themes, but just because we’re going for the easy one doesn’t mean it’s gonna be any less good!
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Chocolate Festival For A Cause
November 8, 2011
York Technical College's Baxter M. Hood Center (South Carolina) was jam-packed with people last Sunday afternoon to celebrate Keystone Substance Abuse Services' third annual Decadent Dreams Chocolate Festival.
With tickets on hand, people could purchase samples of cookies, cupcakes, and truffles, among many others. They even offered a trip to a tall chocolate fountain. Additionally, they were able to stop over at a chocolate spa and get pampered with a massage using chocolate cake-scented oil.
Those people didn’t only get to satisfy their sweet-tooth cravings but were also able to help a cause. The affair is a fundraiser for the non-profit Keystone, which offers treatment and prevention services for substance abuse in York County.
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The History of Chocolate Chip Cookies
November 3, 2011
Homemade chocolate chip cookies almost always bring a smile to one’s face not only because of its pleasant taste but also because of how we grew up eating them.
What many people don't know is that, like the most renowned inventions, these treats were just accidentally created by Ruth Graves Wakefield back in 1933. Wakefield was the proprietor of the Toll House Inn, which was located on the outskirts of Whitman, Massachusetts. It was a famed place then to get some scrumptious home-cooked meals. Ruth's strategy to provide her patrons an additional serving of entrées for them to take home, along with her homemade cookies as dessert, made the inn all the more popular.
One day, Wakefield was preparing one of her favorite recipes, Butter Drop Do cookies. She commonly made the recipe using bakers’ chocolate, but she realized she had run out of it and only had Nestle semi sweet chocolate on hand. She then thought of utilizing it so she mixed it into the batter thinking it would melt and blend well. The chocolate pieces certainly did not mix like the bakers’ chocolate. Instead, it held its shape and softened to a creamy texture, and the rest is chocolate chip history.
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Chocolate Pecan Pie
November 2, 2011
Wow, it's November already. As we're beginning the approach on the upcoming holiday season it's time to start thinking about great holiday recipes to share with guests.
Pecan pie is one of those desserts that is popularly served at Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. It is also considered a specialty of Southern U.S. cuisine.
Pecan pie is typically made of corn syrup and pecan nuts, but you're on my website and that means you expect chocolate. So here's a chocolate pecan pie recipe for you to enjoy. And, this one is quite simple to make.
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Chocolate, A Rising Star In Japan
October 28, 2011
Japan’s confectionery world may be centuries late in regards to using cocoa, but they sure are keeping up and doing very well at it. “Japanese chocolate” may still come off as strange, but cocoa is definitely a rising star in Japan. The once foreign flavor is now starting to become a staple.
Japanese chocolatiers and pastry chefs were the star guests at the 17th Salon du Chocolat which was held in Paris. One of them, Susumu Koyama, even won as the "Best Foreign Chocolatier". Japan was able to outshine other renowned chocolate-making nations such as Belgium and Switzerland. Susumu was born to a family of pastry chefs and claims to be relying on “instinct” and “nature” in practicing his passion.
Since chocolate made from the cocoa bean has reached the Land of the Rising Sun 250 years later than the West, almost all of Japan’s famous and well-loved pastries have zero chocolate content. But today, the number of Japanese chocolatiers is on the rise, and Susumu says he is doing his part to heighten the interest of his fellowmen in chocolate even more.
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White Chocolate Tidbits
October 27, 2011
Despite being classified as 'chocolate,' white chocolate isn't truly chocolate. It may be a confectionary derivative of chocolate as it also comes from the same cacao plant, but its manufacturing process is rather different.
Its process for creation initially entails the drawing out of usable items from the cacao bean. Unlike the conventional chocolate that makes use of the cocoa powder ground from the seeds, the white version gets only the cocoa butter.
Even though the preparation of white chocolate has its similarities with dark and milk chocolate, it lacks cocoa paste, liquor, or powder. Thus, it does not contain the significant properties of chocolate such as thiamine, riboflavin, theobromine and phenylethylamine.
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Chocolate-Covered Cherries
October 26, 2011
Chocolate covered cherries have been around for quite a stretch of time already, its origins can be traced back to the 19th century when the recipe was invented by some candy making companies. Many people have it as their favorite, not only because of the pleasure it gives to the palate, but also because of its many nutritional benefits.
Cherries are known for their important nutrients such as beta carotene (19 times more than blueberries or strawberries), magnesium, potassium, fiber, folate, iron and vitamin C. New studies have revealed that a cherry-enriched diet can lower cholesterol, total weight and body fat, especially along the midsection or more commonly known as ‘belly fat’.
The festive seasons are just around the corner and one of the best ways of showing your affection to your loved ones is through gifts. Give these treats and see the joy on their faces.
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