Tag Archive: milk chocolate
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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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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Store Brand Chocolates
January 31, 2011
Often “store brand” food items are thought of an economical and perhaps an inferior version of its name brand counterpart. While many times I think that ends up being true, I’m still open to give unknowns a try, especially if it costs me less. I do get disappointed but sometimes I also get surprised.
I plan on writing a flavor review of different store brand chocolate bars; some available only in the US and some available only overseas, each Monday for as many Mondays as I have chocolates. On this journey I know we’ll discover the good and the bad but either way we’ll have fun and eat chocolate. Isn’t that the meaning of life anyway?
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Chocolate and Cocoa Substitutes
January 28, 2011
Have you ever discovered you were out of an ingredient? Of course that always seems to happen right in the middle of making something!
When the recipe calls for chocolate, cocoa powder, or unsweetened baking chocolate, using the correct substitution can mean your crisis is avoided. And no emergency trip to the grocery store!
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Carol Widman’s “Chippers”
December 6, 2010
OMG! Home of the Famous Chocolate covered Potato Chip, “Chippers”. That’s what Carol Widman’s Candy Company proudly boasts. And I completely agree!
Carol Widman’s Candy Company is located in Fargo, North Dakota. They’ve been making quality chocolates for four generations. I’m not sure when they started making chocolate covered potato chips, but they have perfected them. They come covered in milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, peanut butter, and white almond.
It really doesn’t matter which coating you choose, so pick your favorite. No matter what, the Chippers are down right addicting.
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Villars Swiss Milk Chocolate
October 18, 2010
Although I prefer dark chocolate, I do enjoy a good Swiss milk chocolate from time to time. My son turned me on to Villars Chocolat au Lait Suisse when he brought a bar home from Switzerland.
This Swiss milk chocolate has bold toffee notes coming through a light, slightly nutty, chocolate flavor with a smooth and creamy texture. Even more delightful is the milk chocolate version with added hazelnuts.
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Allergic to Chocolate?
October 7, 2010
Is there such a thing as a chocolate allergy?
An allergy to cacao is possible but rare. It would be more likely that someone has an allergy to one of the ingredients in chocolate or experiences a food intolerance, which is not really an allergy at all.
Only 1 – 2% of American adults and 5 – 8% of children have a true, immunological food allergy. Among those, 90% are allergic to the “big 8”; milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, or shellfish.
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Arko: Marc De Champagne Chocolate
September 6, 2010
Arko is a German company specializing in premium coffee and fine chocolates.
When Arko began 60 years ago, customer satisfaction was at the center of their thoughts and actions. That habit continues to the present.
According to the Arko website, they are the brand for discerning connoisseurs.
Wondering how I got my hands on their chocolate? Once again, I was given a gift from a fellow chocolate lover/world traveler. Oh yes, my friends know what I like!
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Novi Cioccolato
August 30, 2010
Novi chocolate is an Italian made chocolate from the province of Piedmont.
My in-laws recently traveled abroad and brought back a Novi milk chocolate bar for me.
This chocolate, called Novi Al Latte Classico, is an extra fine milk chocolate with a cacao content of 30%.
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The Shelf Life of Chocolate
August 29, 2010
It's Q&A time. Here is another question from a subscriber:
"Once chocolate has been melted, how long is it good for once it has been molded (again)?"
Chocolate is a very versatile and tolerant product to work with, the nuances of tempering aside. Chocolate can be melted, tempered and molded, re-melted, re-tempered and re-molded, again and again.
The shelf life of chocolate depends on whether it is milk or dark and whether or not it has inclusions like nuts, coconut, or dried fruit.
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