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Meaty Sirloin and Stout Chili

November 6th, 2011 . Posted in Recipes | 1 Comment »
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I always wanted to try making chili with beer and chocolate and this actually turned out awesome so I’m happy to share the recipe with you! A couple of things first, I usually make chili with ground turkey or chicken but I thought beef was a must with the inclusion of beer and chocolate. I’m a firm believer of “if your gonna go, go all the way” so I decided to use sirloin and a lot of it. This is Chili for a crowd for sure, a crowd of meat eaters. Also those who appreciate chili with a kick! If you want to tone it down I suggest using half the amount of chili powder or omitting the cayenne.

 

Recipe: Meaty Sirloin and Stout Chili

Summary: Sirloin, Stout, Spicy, Cocoa

Ingredients

  • 3tbl olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 lbs cubed sirloin
  • 4 peppers of variety; (1 each- red bell, jalapeno, red Anaheim, and poblano)
  • 18oz Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout
  • 1t better than bouillon
  • 1/2c brown sugar
  • 6oz can tomato paste
  • 28oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 4tbl chili powder
  • 3tbl unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1tbl cumin
  • 1tbl cayenne
  • 2t coriander
  • 2t oregano
  • 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 3 cans of bean variety (black, kidney, pinto)

Brown sirloin in 2tbl olive oil with garlic and onion over medium heat in a large frying pan, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile in large stock pot(8 quarts), add remaining 1tbl olive oil and all four diced peppers, saute for about five minutes. Add beer and heat to boiling, then add bouillon and brown sugar and heat until dissolved and boiling again. Next add tomato paste and stir until dissolved and bring to a boil once more. Then add the crushed tomatoes and the following six spices, then the sirloin mixture. Heat to boiling again and then cover and simmer for one hour. Lastly, add the diced tomatoes and beans and simmer a half an hour longer.

Preparation time: 1 hour(s)

Cooking time: 2 hour(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12

Shopping is the first step in cooking, obviously you can sub different types of peppers/chili’s here,  depending on your palate for spicy and seasonal availability. I chose a slight color variation and some somewhat mild peppers. The next very important step is chopping everything up BEFORE you start. I know my tenancy is to just get on with it, but the last thing you want is the meat burning while your chopping up peppers! Use caution when chopping hot peppers by using food safe gloves while handling and core their center and seeds. I like to let a few seeds wonder in to add a little flair.

I think stouts pair nicely with both beef and chocolate. I also tend to favor stouts with only subtle espresso notes, because I am not a huge coffee fan. Lately I have really taken a liking to Rogue, an Oregon based brewery that’s been around since 1988. I chose their Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout not only for the mellow espresso and chocolate flavors, but it’s roasted oat and sweet molasses flavors as well. This is a dark beer with serious drinkability, which is why I also featured it in a pairing for Choctoberfest. Rogue also has an awesome Chocolate Stout which could be used in this recipe if you’d like to omit the cocoa powder.

To thoroughly incorporate each ingredient, I decided to add them only a few at a time and return to boiling each time. This helps every flavor reach it’s full potential to increase the complexity of the finished product and creates a nice thick base sauce. I decided to try out this all natural bouillon paste, Better Than Bouillon. This beef base is minimally processed, has reduced sodium and is MSG free. One teaspoon equals one traditional bouillon cube or an 8oz. can of broth. With three pounds of sirloin and a nice “meaty” beer, I’m not sure bouillon is a crucial ingredient. Then again, I’m no chili expert.

The longer you simmer the pot full of sirloin, the more tender it will become. Always remember the beauty of chili is its ability to easily except change. Pick your favorite beans to add! I love a variety of color and texture, I chose black, kidney, and pinto for this batch. The more I cook the more I find that recipes are just a guide line for me.  This chili happened to be so tasty, hearty and kickin’ that I just really wanted to share it with you. Feel free to try a beer that you prefer, spice to taste and add toppings like cheese, sour cream or avocado. The possibilities are endless and with Fall in full swing a warm bowl of chili is so comforting. Happy Cooking!

 


Pacari Chocolate

October 5th, 2011 . Posted in Reviews, Tasting | No Comments »
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Pacari Chocolate is another great company I was introduced to last week at both Indulge LA and the LA Chocolate Salon. Pacari is family owned and partners directly with organically certified cocoa farms, to purchase quality beans above market prices. They take pride in keeping all production local to help support Ecuador’s economy, the environment and sustainable organic agriculture. Ecuador is home to the coveted Arriba Nacional bean, which is said to be the only “fine flavor” Forastero bean.

Not only did I get to try many of their delicious flavor bars like Lemongrass, Andean Blueberry and Merken, I bought a few things to bring home. Like the Salt & Nibs bar, “Sal del Cuzco” an impossibly hard to put down chocolate with it’s addictive saltiness and subtle crunch. I thought the salt was a bit overpowering at first and you would never know this sweet and smooth chocolate is dark(60%). This bar is certain to turn any one on-to dark chocolate that doesn’t already have a taste for it. Not to mention these dark chocolate chocolate covered cacao nibs which are equally as addictive, pleasantly crunchy and without a hint of bitterness!

Pacari(meaning nature), also promotes a line of raw chocolate made with un-roasted beans and handles the processing at low temperatures to maintain higher levels of antioxidants and minerals naturally found in cacao. Because this chocolate is not heavily processed it has larger particles and is not as smooth or quick to melt on the tongue as most European style chocolates. I decided to keep it “low” and chose the 70% over the 85% and 100% they offer. Arriba beans are notorious for jasmine and floral characteristics and I have a hard time picking these out through the strong cocoa flavor but I do sense a slightly tart and fruity taste, a slight bitterness lingers on the finish.

I am really amazed at the quality of this chocolate, it’s no wonder they won 7 awards at the LA Chocolate Salon! Pacari is easily now one of my favorite single origin, organic, bean to bar chocolate makers.

Marti Chocolatt

October 3rd, 2011 . Posted in Reviews, Tasting | No Comments »
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Marti Chocolatt continues to inspire me for the third year in a row at the LA Chocolate Salon. Chocolatier Tonet Tibay, always friendly and enthusiastically engaging, encourages everyone to sample each of her delicious creations. These traditionally French style chocolates have some of the creamiest ganache centers I have ever tasted and many of the unique flavor combinations are inspired by Tonet’s Filipino heritage. After sampling around 8 different flavors I hand selected this 6 piece box for further enjoyment.

From left to right flavors include Kalamansi, Jasmin Citron, Cafe’ Baraco, Rose Raspberry, Rum Raisin and Chevre. I did discover that I prefer her hand cut truffles to the molded ones because the ganache is so exquisite and in the molded pieces it is lost within a thick shell. The Kalamansi for example is made with a zesty Philippine lime, a flavor which was hard to distinguish next to the strong and bitter dark chocolate shell. A greater balance is achieved within the Rose Raspberry piece, with a stronger flavor and delightful tartness enrobed in a much thinner shell. Rum Raisin fascinatingly includes black currants, although they totally taste like raisins! The Chevre, includes a unique combination goat cheese and mint in a white chocolate ganache with a dark chocolate shell. The hubby said it reminded him of mint chocolate chip ice cream, although true I thought the goat cheese was a bit dominant. I do love mint in combination with white and dark chocolate.

Marti Chocolatt continues to make an impression with their unique and flavors and sweet personality!

Bootleg Chocolates

September 29th, 2011 . Posted in Reviews, Tasting | 2 Comments »
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Another quick review from my swag at the La Chocolate Salon on Sunday in Pasadena. I came across this table at the end of the day and was drawn to it because I liked the simple yet cute package design, their logo and their name. Bootleg Chocolates- island inspired chocolates with flavor inclusions of hibiscus, guava, coconut and of course, rum! When I asked them to tell me a little bit about the chocolates, Amanda co-founder and chef told me about the origin of the name and how her granny used to tell her stories about prohibition on the islands. I tried digging into more info about the actual chocolates by asking about the ingredients and she highlighted the use of island fruits, spices and rums. She also assured me they use only quality ingredients but revealed no real info about the chocolate itself, which to me is the most important part. Unfortunately they were out of samples but I was intrigued so I purchased this 8pc box pictured above for 20$

Today I ate the whole box and after this I’m going to go on a bike ride to work it off! These chocolates at first glance are very attractive and attractive to photograph as well. I love the rustic look of the turquoise piece at right which is done with a combination of acetate texture sheets and cocoa butter paint. This technique fits very well into the island theme and I admire Bootleg’s ability to pull it off, as a perfectionist I would never be able to deal with the air bubbles. I do like where they are going with the flavors of the chocolate centers but many of them are lost in the grainy texture. The outer shells are much too thin which caused one of the domes to cave in on top and the “foot” sealing the bottoms are much too thick. A better ratio of chocolate coating is ideal in balancing not only the texture but the flavor of molded and cut chocolates. In general the caramels could have been smoother, the Goat Pepper & Balsamic Caramel wasn’t spicy on the tongue but spicy on the back of my throat, which was a bit odd and the balsamic lost.

I don’t usually like to post negative reviews of chocolate but I did spend money on these and I do believe in constructive criticism. I think this is a new company and if it were me I would really want to know how to better improve my chocolates.

Kallari Chocolates Sacha Bar

September 27th, 2011 . Posted in Reviews, Tasting | 1 Comment »
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Kallari (pronounced kai-YAH-ri) is a cooperative made up of about 850 organic cacao farmers in the Napo region of the Ecuadorian Amazon. 100% of the profits from this chocolate are returned to the community in support of sustainable development and rain forest conservation. This chocolate is not fair trade certified because of how much it would cost the farmers, but they receive four times the price of fair trade for their product. I was introduced to Kallari a couple of years ago when I bought one of their more commonly found 75% bars with black and green packaging at whole foods. At the time I believed it to be too strong and bitter, but as my taste has evolved I have come to appreciate the intense flavor of Ecuadorian cacao. I also didn’t quite grasp the importance of the co-op and their role in supporting local economy.

Kallari had a booth at both Indulge LA and the LA Chocolate Salon over the weekend which was sponsored by the Trade Office of Ecuador in Los Angeles. Representing Kallari both days was non other than the founder, environmental activist Judy Logback. Here I was able to be reintroduced to their company and taste their bars once again. Along with their three bars found at whole foods they have a line of three Sacha bars which are made by hand in small batches, sold only at specialty shops. These Sacha bars are made and owned by the farmers completely, where as the regular bars are made by a hired factory. Pictured above is the rustically packaged 75% Sacha bar I bought for $4 at the LA Chocolate Salon. This less refined chocolate bar has a more gritty texture than it’s Swiss style counterparts that is surprisingly not unpleasing. Beginning with rich chocolate and subtle fruit aromas, a strong vanilla flavor gives way to notes of toasted marshmallow and coffee, ending with a satisfying aftertaste!

5th Annual Los Angeles Chocolate Salon

September 26th, 2011 . Posted in Events, News, Reviews | 3 Comments »
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Los Angeles had the sweetest weekend yet, what with the first ever Indulge LA on Saturday and the LA Chocolate Salon the very next day. Because I was participating in Indulge I debated attending the salon again this year up until the last minute. I was also dragging my feet because this event seems to go down hill every year and ticket prices were $30 at the door. But of course I went so I could replenish my yearly supply of Amano bars and hope to discover some stunning new chocolate to blog about. And honestly I’ll have to admit, I wanted to compare it to the previous days festivities a bit.

Loot from the LA Choc Salon 2011

Before I begin my review about the salon I’m just going to say that I believe to truly taste, appreciate and formulate a honest opinion about any good chocolate takes time and concentration, none of which could be done there! The only picture I’m including is one I took at home of my loot and I’ll give a shout out to those I bought from-
Amano, Pacari, Chocolatique, Marti, Kallari, David Bacco, and Bootleg.
Over then next week or so I will be going more into depth about my experiences with these companies individually, because they deserve it!

This annual chocolate show is located at the Pasadena Convention Center from 11-5 and this year they changed locations within the venue, possibly to downsize. I’m not sure if they had less vendors, but it didn’t really feel like it. It also felt like they sold a lot more tickets because it was so crowded. In addition to pre-sale specials of $20-25 I heard they did some groupon type deals for even cheaper. When I arrived around 1:45 many of the wine vendors were already out of wine. No matter to me because I was there to have chocolate, but for a $30 ticket price a little wine would have been nice. Unlike Indulge no wine glasses were included in the ticket price and little plastic cups that were piled in the trash can were hard to come by. Talk about eco-friendly.

There were horrendously long lines all the way around the perimeter of the room and many of the crowded clustered booths in the center had lines as well. Also these lines were creeping along, if they were even moving at all because some people were standing in them and others were just pushing there way to the front of the tables. Maybe if it wasn’t so crowded in there people wouldn’t have felt the need to form lines, rather than be rude to other attendees by pushing, shoving and cutting in front of them. I think this was a result of a very poor layout and needless to say changing to a smaller space was probably a bad idea.

They did have guest speakers and some Q&A with some of the chef’s and chocolate makers. But because the set up was crowded it was a little awkward and hard to hear unless you were seated down in front. While standing in line nearby I was surprised to hear one of the chef’s curse into the mic during a Q&A because there were so many kids present. Not very professional in my opinion. I think it would have been very useful to include a program of who was going to speak and when, so if you wanted to catch something in particular you wouldn’t miss it while standing in line or stuffing your face.

I actually stood in line for 45 minutes like an idiot to get bars from Amano and say Hi to Art Pollard, the chocolate maker. Only to be disappointed about thirty minutes in when he went to the front to give a discussion. But I did get to catch the end of his talk where he spoke about his back ground and how he got into making chocolate which I found interesting. At one point the coordinator actually interrupted him to get on the mike and tell people there was no need to stand in line for the Amano booth because there were other empty tables with chocolate. Really….? Ever think they wanted AMANO chocolate. Hmmm.

I really feel for the vendors who choose to participate in these events by paying hundreds of dollars for booth space and are then expected to give out hundreds more in product. Top quality chocolates are not cheap and require a lot of labor and I think the organizers of this event are taking advantage of small companies, who are taking the blow from disappointed consumers who think the vendors are being stingy with samples. I also think it’s interesting that when people go to events like this they feel a sense of urgency with tasting everything really quickly and then high tailing it out of there. By four o’clock the place had cleared out considerably and while many vendors were out of samples and/or product to sell, some weren’t. The atmosphere at this time was a lot more inviting and friendly and I was able to talk with people with out feeling rushed to move along. Although the fact that the layout wasn’t very well thought out became even more apparent when there was less people in there. I think
a map and list of the vendors along with a schedule of the speakers would have been nice. I mean what are they spending all this cash flow on?

Stay tuned from some real reviews of some superior chocolate I purchased while there!

Indulge LA

September 26th, 2011 . Posted in Events, Lady Chocolatier Products, News, Reviews | 3 Comments »
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Saturday I was pleased to join some of the areas top pastry chef’s and chocolatier’s to participate in a sweet festival called Indulge LA. This lavish event was held from 1-5 at the Olympic Collection’s elegant banquet hall and for a mere $35 one could indulge in not only an array of chocolates but cupcakes, wine, champagne and even Patron! With all of the proceeds being donated to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, I was thrilled that the show was sold out, not bad for it’s first year. What an amazing turnout and on the same weekend as the 5th annual LA Chocolate Salon, proof that there are large numbers of chocoholics in this city!

The initial draw to this show for me was because it was for charity and because in my opinion, St. Jude is one of the best charities to support. The fact that I went in with the intentions of having fun and supporting a good cause with a group of people that were all there for the same reason, made the atmosphere really laid back. I love making hand rolled bon-bons for special events because they are so divine when they’re fresh out of the kitchen. So on Friday evening, in honor of the first day of Fall I whipped up a batch of Pumpkin Bon-Bons. I especially like these festive truffles because the center ganache is made with a delicate balance of milk and dark chocolate, emulsified with pumpkin seed oil and the shell a thin layer of white chocolate. The best part, is the crunchy bits of krisp rice and pumpkin spice they are rolled in for the finishing touch. I also made raspberry bon-bons infused with Raspberry Tea that were not dipped in tempered chocolate but rolled in finely graded white chocolate. I also included tastings of fudgy brownies, smores’ bites and a selection of our gourmet truffles.

I always adore trying new things especially when chocolate is involved so I tried to dart out now and again to have a few tastes and sips and talk with some of the other vendors. I wish I could have met more of them but I was so busy passing out samples at my table most of the day, I could barely put them out fast enough! I enjoyed seeing old friends from other shows like Diana from Ococoa and meeting new ones like Joan from Choclatique and Francisco from Pacari.

I loved the addition of live entertainment, a fine gentlemen wonderfully serenading us with Nat King Cole covers was a classy touch. Another highlight of the event was personalized engraving on the complementary wine glasses. I think Barcelona Enterprises did a great job putting this show together and I hope they continue to do it for years to come. Hopefully with some additions and expansion to a larger venue because it did get a bit crowded in there. I would also love to see an inclusion of chocolate sculptures and showpieces. Thanks to everyone who came out in support of us and in support of St. Judes, we hope to see you again next year!

I’ve added a few additional photos below of things that caught my eye~

Almond Ganache Cake from Caju Catering

My favorite taste of the show, Yuzu-Macaroons from the Montage Laguna Beach. Tart lemon with a spicy kick, a great combo!

Stunning display from Candee By Sandee. I love apothecary jars, so dynamic!

Boo Bon-Bons from Choclatique, delish!

Beautifully decorated cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes.

So much indulgence many took some to-go!

How organic cacao farming helps one community unite, to rise above an economic crisis

September 21st, 2011 . Posted in Enviroment, News, Reviews | 5 Comments »
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Recently I had the pleasure of watching Chocolate Country, a inspiring and beautifully shot documentary which gives us a glimpse into the world of poor, yet hardworking cacao farmers deep in the hills of the Dominican Republic. This is their story of why they joined together to form a cooperative to build a better future for themselves, their families and their community. This short film was created by Robin Blotnick, the son of two Peace Corps members who volunteered to assist this cooperative from 2003-05.

Although I enjoyed the film thoroughly with its vibrant images and descriptions of cacao harvesting, not to mention the stimulating soundtrack of local folk music. I am most touched by the people and their spirit, their pride and their determination. The farmers are so enthusiastic about how far they have come, regardless of how hard they work and how much they lack within their community. I am impressed by their work ethic and communal efforts and am humbled by their willingness to share their lives and their struggles with the world. Their hopes beyond food and running water are to provide basic education and health care to their families and community. Their dream, a road. It is they, who compelled me to take interest in their story, to research it further and to share it with you.

Our journey begins in the highlands of the Dominican Republic, surrounding the Loma Guaconejo Scientific Rainforest Reserve. Here, remote villages of family owned and operated farms have been growing organic cacao for generations. These same farmers are some of the poorest people in this country, mainly due to small scale farming which leads to low production. Their lack of access to new technologies and financial resources leaves them no choice but to sell poor quality beans, for an extremely low price, if they even can.

In 2001 the going rate for 50 kilo of cacao beans was about 400 pesos, this is equal to about 25 US dollars for 110 pounds. The farmers were selling unfermented beans to local community members who store the them, often in unfit environments and sell them to domestic buyers for a few hundred pesos in profit. Unfortunately many of the isolated farms were unable to sell their beans because there was no way to transport them to these centralized areas.

By 2003 the price of cacao had dropped even lower and in an effort to bring their community out of an economic crisis the farmers joined together to form “The Red” meaning network. The purpose of this group was to organize production and cut out the middle man, to work together in search of a domestic buyer to bring more sales to these rural and poorest areas. La Red was motivation for the farmers to concentrate on harvesting higher quality cacao and to incorporate the proper fermentation and drying facilities to do so. They were granted aide and volunteers from organizations like the Peace Corps, UNDP and USAID who also helped them to make connections with foreign buyers and start learning about the importance of organic farming and its benefits.

In 2005 they legally formed La Cooperativa Red Guaconejo and with their growth and positive impact on their community they were able to build an aqueduct for one of it’s villages highlighted in Chocolate Country, so that all 23 houses within that village now have running water.

By 2006 they received organic certification, paid for by one of the domestic buyers and with it the price for 50 kilo had risen to around 1350 pesos. In the Fall of that same year a group of farmers, sponsored by USAID were sent to a conference in Baltimore were they met with people from Taza Chocolate and Dagoba about direct selling to their companies, cutting out yet another middle man, the buyer. Of course this did not make the buyers happy, which posed a threat to the cooperative because the buyers are large companies that have secure contracts and government connections to expedite export, not to mention they control a majority of the local industries cash flow.

Taza Chocolate and La Red Guaconejo

In 2007 Taza and La Red formed a direct partnership and Taza gave them a low interest loan, in which they were able to pay back in the form of cacao beans. (Cocoa beans were used as a form of currency dating back to the Aztec empire!) This loan helped them to pay off some of their local debts and focus on efficient production. In 2008 the local price for 50 kilo had risen to nearly 2350 pesos and with the co-op’s Taza partnership, it was worth more. Today, according to the standards of Taza’s Direct Trade Program the price is clearly stated at 500 US dollars above the NYBOT price for cacao, which is 300 US dollars more than the Fair Trade premium for certified organic cacao. 2011’s current price equals to about 6300 pesos for 50 kilo!

Wow, what a long way they have come! Now it is clear why the farmers have worked so hard to improve the quality of their cacao. Through incorporating the fermentation process, taking care in their drying methods and highlighting organic practices they have gained organic certification. With this, the co-op is able to sell to foreign markets for a higher price and direct trade ensures that they see all of their profits, which are redistributed throughout the community to better their way of life.

Ironically enough, last week as I am watching Chocolate Country and researching La Red, I discovered that in celebration of this achievement, the farmers were actually at Taza in Somerville, MA touring the factory and having a meet and greet with it’s customers. How cool is that!? I also learned that Dominican Republic is now one of the top exporters of organic cacao.

La Red Visit to Taza

This film reminded me to open my eyes, to the everyday struggles that are associated with chocolate beyond my kitchen. To appreciate my life and to especially appreciate theirs and all of the hard work and dedication they put into a sustainable and superior product. It also teaches a valuable lesson about the importance of working together and how if we do, we really can make a difference. A special thanks to Taza and all that they have done, I am eager to try some of their stone ground chocolate bars and support their company. You should too!

What is Single Origin Chocolate

June 7th, 2011 . Posted in Enviroment, News, Reviews, Tasting | No Comments »
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Map of Cacao growing countries, via Nestle's thecocoaplan.com

Single Origin is a term used to describe chocolate made from beans sourced from one country. The exact history of this is a little unclear, although it seems it all started with El Rey, established in 1929. This Venezuelan chocolate maker sources only locally grown beans, which are considered by many to be some of the most flavorful in all of the world. In 1984 Bonnat Chocolatier first began producing single origin estate chocolate, for their 100th anniversary. Although the concept of single origin was made popular a few years later by another French based chocolatier, Valrhona. Valrhona who is now one of the most wide spread brands in fine chocolate also coined the phrase “grand cru”, which is mostly a marketing term.

Why is single origin chocolate important? Purists believe in what’s called terroir, (pronounced “tare-wahr”) a French term which translates to “taste of place”. Meaning, the relationship between geographical and geological characteristics, along with climate effects the results of the final crop. When a chocolate bar is in its purest form, devoid of additives and you can still tastes notes of fruits or spices, this is due to the terroir. Mind you, this alone does not equal quality chocolate! The particulars of chocolate making starting with the fermentation and drying of beans also play a vital role. Not to mention the craftsmanship of the chocolatier and their process of roasting and conching. All of these important aspects help to create a unique flavor profile for the finished product.

It seems strange now but in truth, the large chocolate companies we grew up with have been purchasing cocoa beans from all over the world and mixing them together. This creates bland blends of chocolate that are masked with large amounts of sugar, flavorings and other additives. These mass producing, mass marketing companies are all about quantity, not quality and are creating a product that is more candy than chocolate. The average consumer knows not the difference, but as tastes evolve and more and more consumers are turning into connoisseurs of fine foods, we start to notice. Once you taste the complex flavor and smooth texture of artisan chocolate you will never forget it!

Comparison of ingredient labels of Hershey's versus two of my favorite artisan brands. As usual, the less ingredients the better.

The basis for the term single origin was not only built on the fact that we can’t get enough of this superior chocolate, but also for it’s principles. If we know where the beans come from, then we know who grows them. Smaller manufacturers of fine chocolate are more frequently cutting out the middle man and going directly to the source. Working one on one with the farmers, they are able to ensure that they have the knowledge and the resources to create ample working conditions and that they are paid fair prices for this laborious product. Otherwise known as fair trade.

In many cases single origin labeling is used loosely within the industry because it vaguely refers, to a country as a whole. Meaning the beans can come from multiple regions and/or plantations within said country. Due to our heightened palate, terroir and the importance of fair trade, sourcing beans from one region or farm within a region has become more common. Therefore, other terms have been introduced in hopes of being more specific such as; pure origin, select origin, or just “origin”. Most honest companies clear up this confusion by just stating on the package directly, the name of the region and/or plantation where the beans were grown to make the bar.

Askinosie not only states the country and region of origin but puts the name and photo of the head farmer right on the package!

I wanted to clear this up to the best of my knowledge as I am always eating and reviewing chocolate from specific places all over the world. The notes that are hidden within the obvious chocolate flavor excite and intrigue me. I also strongly believe in the importance of understanding and appreciating all of the hard work that goes into making some of the world’s best chocolate. I have also been researching and experimenting with using some of this chocolate for my own creations. For the past year I have been purchasing my chocolate couverture from a Swiss company called Felchlin and am proud to say that it is in fact made exclusively from Venezuelan sourced beans. I will be talking more directly about them and about this chocolate in future post.

I hope you are now more informed and inspired to try some of this dazzling, purist, chocolate of origin, whether it be from me or from another great company. Below are few quick links to some of my favorite American chocolate makers! Bon appetit!

Fresh, Raw, Toasted, Coconut!

May 18th, 2011 . Posted in Chocolate Making, Lady Chocolatier Products, Technique | No Comments »
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Summer is still a month away, but it’s the most anticipated season in my book and nothing brings it on more than a little coconut! I think it all started with our yearly beach vacations as a kid, I can still smell Granny basking in the sun covered in coconut oil. Boy am I so glad we are more conscious of uv skin damage than we were 25 years ago! Now, who doesn’t like a good piña colada on a sun soaked beach?! I’m there in a heartbeat but if you can’t quite make it yet try some of our chocolate truffles bathed in fresh toasted coconut!

Or, if your ambitious like me, bust open some coconuts for your self and open up a world of possibilities! Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and starting with a hammer and a philips screw driver puncture the three holes in the dimples found on one end of the coconut. Drain the coconut water into a glass and smell and taste it to be sure the coconut is still good. On a side note, I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted anything worse than rancid coconut water! Taste like bile… so beware and if it smells funny, it’s probably bad! Once the oven is ready, place the coconut on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 min. Then put the coconut into a plastic bag and cover with a towel, place on a hard surface and break up with the hammer. The meat should easily break away from the shell. The meat is delicious as is but still has a thin skin you can opt to peel. I did and then shaved it using a fine cheese grader. After grading, I toasted the shavings on a baking sheet using the broil setting on the oven, watching it closely and turning the shavings often. These shaving can be used to bring on the sunshine to many meals and snacks! Not just for chocolates but to coat chicken or fish, cover cake or top cupcakes.

These Coconut Bon Bons are available via Lady Chocolatier, for the next two weeks only! So if you love coconut or are itching for some Summer inspiration look no further! Then in the month of June we will be featuring Smores’ covered in Toasted Coconut and in July Piña Colada Truffles. Get em’ while it’s hot!

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