Here is a great little video clip I found on how chocolate was originally made. I can't figure out how to include links into the context of my posts so I have added this link down below under the heading "Cool Links". If for some reason that doesn't work for you, copy and paste the following into your browser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNSjwI7Wu2M
Holiday Chocolates
Holiday Chocolates -beats cookies any day!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Health Benefits of Chocolate
Don't let anyone tell you that chocolate is not good for you. That's an old-wives' tale. Chocolate has one of the highest levels of antioxidants of all foods, more than red wine or green tea. It contains a substance called theobromine which acts as a vaso-dilator, reducing blood-pressure. It also helps release endorphins, the feel-good chemicals in the brain, which is why chocolate is always a good mood-lifter. If you haven't tried it, the next time you feel cranky and irritable treat your self to a good bar of chocolate. I guarantee you will be feeling better within 15 minutes of eating it. The saturated fat of chocolate is mostly in the form of stearic acid, which is a cholesterol-neutral fat. That means that it does not affect your cholesterol levels one way or the other. The darker your chocolate, the less sugar it contains and the higher the anti-oxidant level. The higher the quality of your chocolate, the less likely it is to have non-nutritive substances like milk powders (a source of oxidized cholesterol - not good for us) and soy lethicin. Those tend to be additives used by large companies concerned more for profit than quality.
Chocolate does not cause acne - sugar does. However, because of the stearic acid content of chocolate, whatever sugar it does contain is slowly absorbed and most of the negative aspects of sugar are greatly reduced. If you are going to consume sugar, consume it in the form of chocolate.
Chocolate does contain caffeine but not nearly as much as you have been led to believe. A few oreos after dinner will not keep your children up all night. The caffeine content is quite miniscule. Theobromine, on the other hand, is a caffeine-like stimulant that effects the central nervous system in a gentler way than caffeine. Most scientist who study theobromine are skeptical about it being an addictive substance. I haven't tried this yet because I still love my coffee, but if you are trying to quit caffeine, try supplementing with a little chocolate for breakfast for a few days and see if that gets you through caffeine withdrawal without the headache! If it works, write in and tell me!
There is tons of information on the internet about the health benefits of chocolate. Chocolate is rich and you may have been led to believe that it is somehow sinful to consume it in our Puritanical society, but those who do consume it regularly without guilt seem to be happier and healthier! Throw away the oreos and go get the good stuff!
Chocolate does not cause acne - sugar does. However, because of the stearic acid content of chocolate, whatever sugar it does contain is slowly absorbed and most of the negative aspects of sugar are greatly reduced. If you are going to consume sugar, consume it in the form of chocolate.
Chocolate does contain caffeine but not nearly as much as you have been led to believe. A few oreos after dinner will not keep your children up all night. The caffeine content is quite miniscule. Theobromine, on the other hand, is a caffeine-like stimulant that effects the central nervous system in a gentler way than caffeine. Most scientist who study theobromine are skeptical about it being an addictive substance. I haven't tried this yet because I still love my coffee, but if you are trying to quit caffeine, try supplementing with a little chocolate for breakfast for a few days and see if that gets you through caffeine withdrawal without the headache! If it works, write in and tell me!
There is tons of information on the internet about the health benefits of chocolate. Chocolate is rich and you may have been led to believe that it is somehow sinful to consume it in our Puritanical society, but those who do consume it regularly without guilt seem to be happier and healthier! Throw away the oreos and go get the good stuff!
Dolfin Noir 88%
This was truly a surprise to me. Dolfin is a Belgian chocolatier. It has a gorgeous, smooth texture (which is difficult to do over 85%) and starts off with a bang of cinnamon. Okay, not really a bang, but a distinctive enough cinnamon-like flavor that it made me re-read the label. It is in fact just dark chocolate with 88% cacao. It tastes sweeter to me than other chocolates of such high percentage, and that cinnamon flavor really lasts, rather than a fleeting "spice-like" nuance. This chocolate scores big points for its texture, but if you love really dark chocolate, you will be disappointed in the lack of depth. Think about it like coffee: if you love espresso, you won't be impressed with a shot of medium-roast coffee. I would definitely recommend this bar to people who love their chocolate sweet and to those who want to venture into higher percentages but remain a bit timid. As for myself, I think I will melt the rest of this bar and whisk in some half&half for a wicked-good cup of hot chocolate!
Amadei Toscano Black 66%
This is another Italian chocolate - the Italians do chocolate well. Amadei prides itself on its single-origin chocolates from small estates and controlling the whole process from fermenting to roasting the cacao beans to their specifications. This comes in a pretty green package with a black box in the center as their label. To me, 66% is awfully sweet, so I just bought two individual squares of this chocolate to try rather than a whole bar. It would definitely make a good replacement for milk-chocolate lovers who want to take a step above Hershey's.
Amadei has a whole line of chocolate from different parts of the world and it will be fun trying them all. The only downside is that these bars are expensive - $6.50 in my chocolate shop, and probably steeper in the big cities. The texture is very smooth and nice, though, and it is a good treat to have once in a while or for a special occasion.
Amadei has a whole line of chocolate from different parts of the world and it will be fun trying them all. The only downside is that these bars are expensive - $6.50 in my chocolate shop, and probably steeper in the big cities. The texture is very smooth and nice, though, and it is a good treat to have once in a while or for a special occasion.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Chilli
This is the other Kakawa chocolate elixir I ordered. They are these big 1.5 oz. chocolate balls blended with vanilla, agave and ancho chilli. You're supposed to chop or shave them into little pieces, add hot water and whisk to make your hot chocolate drink. I did this and made a nice hot chocolate but it seemed to lack depth. Now to me a fine cup of hot chocolate (and the only kind really worth considering) is a melted chocolate bar with half & half whisked in. So while I did like this chilli hot chocolate I couldn't help thinking it needed a little cream. I didn't put any in because I had a hard time reconciling chillis and cream in my mind. So I finished the cup and then ate the other chocolate ball. I have one left. I think I'll eat that one too.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Hot Chocolate
Today is a very exciting day! My order of hot chocolate "wafers" arrived from Kakawa (see link below) and I was finally able to sample one of their concoctions. Kakawa is based in Sante Fe and they have dedicated themselves to discovering and recreating ancient drinking chocolate recipes. They have ancient Aztec, Mayan and Zapotec recipes as well as the first European recipes from the 1600's up to 1800. I found their website back in the summer and bookmarked it, thinking this would make a great winter treat. They make their hot chocolate by grinding spices, chillis, and other aromatic ingredients and blending them with bittersweet chocolate, forming wafers or balls that you then mix with hot water and whisk until fully melted and blended into a hot chocolate drink.
Today I sampled Aztec Warrior, a blend of unsweetened chocolate, herbs, flowers, nuts, chilli and vanilla. This is a recipe that was considered a favorite of rulers and warriors throughout Mesoamerica. It is very aromatic: almond, allspice and vanilla seem to be the dominant flavors, with a little chilli kick, but not too much. It is intentionally unsweetended as that is how chocolate was consumed back in the day. So I drank mine unsweetened, just enjoying the contrast between the bitter chocolate, the chilli kick and the sweet spices. You could, of course, add a teaspoon of sugar if you wished, but I would not recommend too much as there is something to be said for experiencing a recipe based on the ancient tradition of chocolate drinking. I did find it to be a bit heavy on what seemed like almond extract. I like that flavor but it could be a little lighter, in my opinion. I initially thought these wafers would be easy to make at home, but the more I sipped the more I noticed the different flavors underlying the almond.
These hot chocolate elixirs, as they are called, are not inexpensive, but they are a fun treat and probably could be recreated by creative types in your own kitchen, sparing you a great deal of money. On the other hand, the menu at Kakawa is quite extensive, tempting you with all sorts of magical chocolate elixirs from Mesoamerica to European blends, like 1631 Spanish, 1775 Marie Antoinette, to "modern" American 1790's Jeffersonian and Havana Rum.
As a bonus, your order arrives with a page and a half of information about the health benefits of chocolate!
Today I sampled Aztec Warrior, a blend of unsweetened chocolate, herbs, flowers, nuts, chilli and vanilla. This is a recipe that was considered a favorite of rulers and warriors throughout Mesoamerica. It is very aromatic: almond, allspice and vanilla seem to be the dominant flavors, with a little chilli kick, but not too much. It is intentionally unsweetended as that is how chocolate was consumed back in the day. So I drank mine unsweetened, just enjoying the contrast between the bitter chocolate, the chilli kick and the sweet spices. You could, of course, add a teaspoon of sugar if you wished, but I would not recommend too much as there is something to be said for experiencing a recipe based on the ancient tradition of chocolate drinking. I did find it to be a bit heavy on what seemed like almond extract. I like that flavor but it could be a little lighter, in my opinion. I initially thought these wafers would be easy to make at home, but the more I sipped the more I noticed the different flavors underlying the almond.
These hot chocolate elixirs, as they are called, are not inexpensive, but they are a fun treat and probably could be recreated by creative types in your own kitchen, sparing you a great deal of money. On the other hand, the menu at Kakawa is quite extensive, tempting you with all sorts of magical chocolate elixirs from Mesoamerica to European blends, like 1631 Spanish, 1775 Marie Antoinette, to "modern" American 1790's Jeffersonian and Havana Rum.
As a bonus, your order arrives with a page and a half of information about the health benefits of chocolate!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Accidental Truffle
If you are reading this blog, chances are you like truffles. I like truffles. In fact, I accidentally bought three truffles today. Okay, it wasn't exactly an accident, but I switched direction while walking through town with the express purpose of avoiding a strong and bitter wind that was slapping me in the face. I took the long way back to work and lo and behold, there was the chocolate shop! So I ventured in and decided to be a good customer and sample the truffles that the young man working there had just recently created. In actuality, I had been dreaming about these truffles for a few days ever since I saw him dipping them in melted chocolate and coating them with cocoa powder. Well, they were fabulous. They had a thick hard shell of dark chocolate that enveloped a soft, truffly center. They were sweet, but not too sweet. They had a fine coat of cocoa powder, but not so much as to leave you with a cocoa mustache. They were really quite delightful.
So what exactly is a truffle? I never really knew and never really cared until one day I accidentally made some truffles. I was trying to make an icing of sorts for a fancy cake, not following any recipe, just my imagination as I am wont to do (not generally recommended in the kitchen). I melted a bar of good chocolate in a double boiler and slowly added cream, whisking it in until it created a thick, and then really thick ganache. It was a giant truffle! It was too thick to be used as any sort of icing (I probably should have used half&half) so I scooped it into little balls on a tray and left them to set. They were really good. I don't remember anything about the cake.
By the way, of the three truffles I bought today, I only ate two. I gave the third to the nice lady who works in the office in my place of employment.
So what exactly is a truffle? I never really knew and never really cared until one day I accidentally made some truffles. I was trying to make an icing of sorts for a fancy cake, not following any recipe, just my imagination as I am wont to do (not generally recommended in the kitchen). I melted a bar of good chocolate in a double boiler and slowly added cream, whisking it in until it created a thick, and then really thick ganache. It was a giant truffle! It was too thick to be used as any sort of icing (I probably should have used half&half) so I scooped it into little balls on a tray and left them to set. They were really good. I don't remember anything about the cake.
By the way, of the three truffles I bought today, I only ate two. I gave the third to the nice lady who works in the office in my place of employment.
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