Tag Archive: dark chocolate
Chocolate Crafters of Yuma, AZ
March 7, 2011
No matter where I travel or visit, I must keep with the tradition of seeking out (and sampling!) the local chocolate shops. During my recent mid-winter retreat to Yuma, AZ to visit my in-laws, I discovered Chocolate Crafters. They opened last fall so they are brand new to the Yuma chocolate scene.
Right after walking in the door Lorena, one of the owners, asked if I was a first time visitor of the shop...
World Market Brand Chocolate Bars
February 21, 2011
During the 1950s, a San Francisco businessman and importer began selling goods from one of the city’s piers. Crates were unloaded and locals lined up to buy.
Eventually, he opened a store and called it Cost Plus World Market. Unique and handmade items were sold at cost, plus ten percent – hence, the origin of the name.
Today, there are over 260 Cost Plus World Market physical stores and online shopping at www.worldmarket.com.
I have tried two World Market store brand chocolates; 72% Dark Chocolate and Ecuador Dark. Both bars were a disappointment.
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Chocolate Dipped Strawberries and Champagne
February 17, 2011
When you put a fresh strawberry into the bottom of a champagne glass and then pour the champagne, just watch the bubbles fly off the strawberry at a record rate of speed!
The strawberry gives more surface area from which to produce bubbles. For this reason alone, a strawberry in champagne is very romantic. And let’s not forget that a champagne soaked strawberry is oh-so-delicious!
Personally, I prefer the strawberry on the side, covered in rich, dark chocolate!
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Chocolate Tasting Interview
February 10, 2011
A few weeks ago I was interviewed for an article with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper. That article appeared in the print version yesterday and online the day before.
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.
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Tesco Value Plain Chocolate
February 7, 2011
Tesco stores are located all over London, England. When I visited my sister living there, we did a lot of chocolate shopping. Almost every store I shopped in offered a label of chocolate all their own. These chocolates were priced lower than the name brands sitting next to them on the shelf.
As promised in last Monday’s blog (I reviewed store brand Roundy’s Milk Chocolate), I am going to continue to review store brand chocolates.
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Chocolate and Cheese Pairings
February 3, 2011
I found a great article from the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) offering guidelines for chocolate and cheese pairings.
With all my pairings, I consider matching flavor profiles from the chocolate’s perspective...
Since dark chocolates offer a complex set of flavors, it makes sense that the best matches would be complex, aged cheeses.
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72%: Ghirardelli vs. Villars
January 24, 2011
This past Christmas Santa left me a stocking full of chocolate goodies, and I happen to have among the stash a lovely Ghirardelli 72% dark chocolate and a delightful Villars 72% dark chocolate.
Yesterday I decided that a taste comparison was in order so I got down to business after lunch and had “dessert”.
The flavor that really hits up front in the Ghirardelli is intense fruit, red berries. The melt is fast and the texture is smooth – just the way I like it. The lingering finish is soft with chocolatey notes and the last of the fruity flavor.
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Chocolove Cherries & Almonds
January 10, 2011
I really like this 55% cocoa content dark chocolate with chewy, tart dried cherries and crunchy, roasted almonds. The chocolate complements the fruity and nutty notes from the cherries and almonds without overpowering them with sweetness or bitterness.
The flavor combination blends slowly at first, allowing you to gradually realize the rich and complex flavor profile.
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Chocolate Covered Peppermint Patties
December 29, 2010
These peppermint patties may be the perfect ending to a holiday meal! Be sure to temper the chocolate to give a finish and snap to your creation.
| Chocolate Covered Peppermint Patties • 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk • 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract • 4 cups powdered sugar • 3 cups semisweet chocolate, chopped Read more |
Dark Chocolate Covered Bavarian Pretzel
December 27, 2010
In my opinion, pretzels and chocolate make a stellar combination. The salty, slightly nutty flavor of the pretzel blended with the chocolatey bitterness of the dark coating taste oh-so-good together!
The Rocky Mountain Dark Chocolate Covered Bavarian pretzel is a fine example of this great combination and even beats my expectations. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory did a superb job in finding the right dark chocolate coating so that with its intense, bold flavor, the pretzel does not overpower the chocolate, rather the flavors merge into a fine taste treat.
As I was tasting my mind wandered to the pretzel part, as I have hardly given pretzels a second thought through the years. Digging into it a little bit I uncovered some basic pretzel info and then tried to find a definition of a "Bavarian" pretzel.
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