Today I got a phone call that made my day. It was my best friend, who now lives in a different state, calling to say, "Happy International Chocolate Day!!" Of course, this was like forgetting about Christmas, then someone reminding you and waking to this fact with a start of joy. "Really???" I exclaimed. "Yes!" she pronounced. "And tomorrow is cream-filled donut day!" She would know. I made her a photo calendar for Christmas, and spent hours filling each day with a national holiday (so many more than you would imagine- things like rubber duckie day and...mmm more interesting ones that I can't remember).
In any case, this revelation instantly brightened my day by approximately 10 watts. It also convinced me that some Amano chocolate was in order. I'm a broke college student, so it's hard to not feel guilty about buying a seven dollar bar of chocolate. But it is International Chocolate Day! It will be another year before it comes again! This auspicious day requires only the highest quality chocolate! And other rationalizations...
And yet, the guilt melts away when I taste this singular artisan chocolate. I swear if I could sell this stuff, I'd make a million bucks by my sheer enthusiasm. This chocolate is transporting. It's taste is so rough-cut and earthy, so evocative and complex, it has ruined me for all other chocolate.
In between study sessions (all about the fascinating Middle East!!) I let a square of Amano melt on my tongue while listening to Adele's "Someone Like You."
Because chocolate is an art form, in my opinion, it tastes best paired with other art. The rough beauty of Amano chocolate with this smooth and gorgeous live recording of Adele was the perfect match :)
For the ultimate artistic experience, some Michelangelo art accents Adele and Amano nicely.
*siiigh* Well it's back to textbooks :)
Enjoy your International Chocolate Day and tell me all about the chocolate you enjoyed today!!
Love always,
Sondra
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Do you want to die and go to heaven? Here's your ticket: Homemade Nutella
This is Taza's version, a company that makes stone-ground chocolate that I have yet to try (but that sounds delicious) but you can substitute the Taza chocolate for any other baking squares :)
Taza “Nutella”
Ingredients:
• 1 cup hazelnuts
• 4oz Taza 70% Baking Squares
• 2oz (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp nut or vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4oz Taza 70% Baking Squares
• 2oz (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp nut or vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Directions:
1. Toast 1 cup hazelnuts in pan until fragrant and golden. Let cool.
2. Melt 4oz Taza 70% Baking Squares and 2 oz unsalted butter. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla.
3. Blend cooled nuts in food processor until smooth, 3-5 minutes, drizzling in 1-2 tbsp nut or vegetable oil.
4. With machine running, add chocolate mixture, 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
5. Transfer to a container and refrigerate.
2. Melt 4oz Taza 70% Baking Squares and 2 oz unsalted butter. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla.
3. Blend cooled nuts in food processor until smooth, 3-5 minutes, drizzling in 1-2 tbsp nut or vegetable oil.
4. With machine running, add chocolate mixture, 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
5. Transfer to a container and refrigerate.
And it's so versatile! Just ask the Italians :)
Yes, this is bacon. Nutella-smothered bacon. You should try it :)
Friday, September 9, 2011
Hazelnut Truffles
We all know chocolate and hazelnuts make an amazing combination, like pb &j, coffee & cream, bread & butter. Just look at Nutella! This recipe comes from one of my favorite websites, Smitten Kitchen! Enjoy :)
Hazelnut Truffles
Adapted from Ina Garten
1 cup hazelnuts
3 1/2 ounces good bittersweet chocolate
3 1/2 ounces good semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur (recommended: Frangelico)
1 tablespoon prepared coffee
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Chop the hazelnuts and place them on a sheet pan. Roast them in the oven for 10 minutes. (If the hazelnuts have skin on them, roast them for 25 minutes.) Set aside to cool.
Chop the chocolates finely and place in a bowl.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it boils. Immediately pour the hot cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with the chocolates. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted. (If the chocolate doesn’t melt completely, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir for a few minutes just until it melts.) Whisk in the hazelnut liqueur, coffee, and vanilla. Cover and chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour until pliable but firm enough to scoop.
With 2 teaspoons or a 1 1/4-inch ice cream scoop, make dollops of the chocolate mixture and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes, until firm enough to roll into rough spheres. Roll the chocolate in the chopped hazelnuts and chill again.
Do ahead: Truffles are best when they’re allowed to set overnight in the refrigerator.
Hazelnut Truffles
Adapted from Ina Garten
1 cup hazelnuts
3 1/2 ounces good bittersweet chocolate
3 1/2 ounces good semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur (recommended: Frangelico)
1 tablespoon prepared coffee
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Chop the hazelnuts and place them on a sheet pan. Roast them in the oven for 10 minutes. (If the hazelnuts have skin on them, roast them for 25 minutes.) Set aside to cool.
Chop the chocolates finely and place in a bowl.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it boils. Immediately pour the hot cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with the chocolates. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted. (If the chocolate doesn’t melt completely, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir for a few minutes just until it melts.) Whisk in the hazelnut liqueur, coffee, and vanilla. Cover and chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour until pliable but firm enough to scoop.
With 2 teaspoons or a 1 1/4-inch ice cream scoop, make dollops of the chocolate mixture and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes, until firm enough to roll into rough spheres. Roll the chocolate in the chopped hazelnuts and chill again.
Do ahead: Truffles are best when they’re allowed to set overnight in the refrigerator.
Morning Chocolate Musings
Smoked gouda cheese. My new FAVORITE thing, like ever. I am tempted to eat it with practically everything. Okay, not practically. Everything. Even chocolate.
Today it was Lindt 70% dark with black currants and smoked gouda cheese. I was initially surprised by the tang of bright berries, an explosion of taste I didn't expect from the chocolate. The gouda cheese gave it a nice savory combination, but was definitely a secondary flavor.
New truffle idea: black currant + rose. More details to come.
Oo, speaking of chocolate with cheese, don't think I am such a rebellious trail-blazer. One of my favorite chocolate companies, Vosges Haut Chocolat, has created a truffle that pairs dark chocolate with cheese in the Italian Collection. This is the collection I have coveted most, ever since I first perused the glossy pages of a Vosges catalogue. Taleggio cheese, balsamic vinegar, pine nuts, and olive oil. Strange combinations yes, but I am dying to have a taste. Check it out on their website: http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/product/collezione_italiana_16pc/collezione_italiana
Today it was Lindt 70% dark with black currants and smoked gouda cheese. I was initially surprised by the tang of bright berries, an explosion of taste I didn't expect from the chocolate. The gouda cheese gave it a nice savory combination, but was definitely a secondary flavor.
New truffle idea: black currant + rose. More details to come.
Oo, speaking of chocolate with cheese, don't think I am such a rebellious trail-blazer. One of my favorite chocolate companies, Vosges Haut Chocolat, has created a truffle that pairs dark chocolate with cheese in the Italian Collection. This is the collection I have coveted most, ever since I first perused the glossy pages of a Vosges catalogue. Taleggio cheese, balsamic vinegar, pine nuts, and olive oil. Strange combinations yes, but I am dying to have a taste. Check it out on their website: http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/product/collezione_italiana_16pc/collezione_italiana
Haven't you ever dreamed of going to Italy?
I dream of places far from Europe. I am currently in looooove with the Middle East and the beautiful Arab people, which partly explains my major: Middle East Studies and Arabic. Yet I also love South America, especially Mexico, where I dream of returning often. The whole world is so fascinating! And I certainly go through stages- through Russia, Germany, France, Indonesia, Mongolia, and parts of Africa.
But Italy- Italy has been an abiding itch beneath my skin, a permanent travel aspiration. Beautiful, old, paint-peeling, flower hanging, vine covered Italy, with all its dripping charm and ancient history. The romantic language and inspiring architecture, the beautiful people, and the delicious food. What could possibly be better? If we can't travel to Italy in the near future, at least we can savor it through chocolate.
Thank you, Vosges.
Love,
Sondra
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Pine Flavored Truffles- think again!
For years I've been wanting to make pine flavored truffles but I am afraid no pine essence could capture the taste I am looking for. Does this flavor combination strike you as strange and/ or repulsive?
Think again my chocolate-loving friends! The taste of pine is surprisingly varied and often shockingly delicious. It's like eating Christmas. I should know...I am a closet pine needle addict...It's true! Every time I pass a pine tree, I absolutely MUST pluck a needle from it's branches and savor its flavor. With every chew I am surprised by the tastes that tingle my tongue. I've tried a few recently that taste JUST like tangerines, with a subtle pine flavor in the back of the throat. So imagine eating that orange straight from your stocking Christmas morning as you sit beneath the pine tree. DELICIOUS. A tangy, sprightly, emotive flavor.
I have been experimenting with mmm, we'll call them "mood truffles" or "mood chocolate." Do you remember that candy in "Because of Winn Dixie" that inexplicably makes everyone who eats it sad? And even more specifically, calls up the saddest memory in the life of the one who consumes it, darkening the mind like bittersweet chocolate.
I also love perfumes, and often lust after the perfume samples on luckyscent.com. An especially innovative perfume company, Comme Des Garcons, makes a line of fragrance called, "Incense." I read reviews for Zagorsk, so named after a holy spot in Russia. It has notes of pine and snow (possible?) and melancholy. Truly, like distilled sadness to spray on a pale & slender wrist. Reading the reviews, users were waxing poetic, about being "abandoned" in a winter field, scarf stuffed against your face, and pines all around, the lonely call of a cathedral crackling on the crisp winter air. They all said something similar, "Sad." One of my favorite reviews: "It's the smell of a thought. The most evocative thought one could have: a sad thought but that plunges its root deep in time. Superb!"
As taste and smell are intrinsically connected, couldn't a "sad" chocolate be made too, like that strange confection from "Because of Winn Dixie"? Of course, most people wouldn't be interested in becoming sad from truffles (and that bothersome spike in serotonin caused by cacao may interfere with the mood anyhow) but this opens a fascinating world to innovative chocolatiers, or fondeurs. I know it does for me.
Much of this is subjective- what makes pine and a combination of other scents "melancholy" or "sad" is simply the associations people have with pine needles and snow. It helps then, to make the packaging and accompanying story a part of the poem, a part of the art. Incorporate mystic traditions, poetry, mythology, love. I want to make each chocolate collection a love poem to the world, each collection expressing a different place (Chicago scents, diversity, the city rain, and buildings cutting atmosphere in gray) or feeling, or time of life (a wedding collection of exquisite flavors, softness, rose, and then sweetness, deep strong flavors of passion, each truffle expressing another delicious moment of a couple in love). Truffles in carved wooden boxes, covered with art, truffles wrapped in newspaper clippings, boxes and packaging simulating something entirely different, chocolate seen in different lights. It is very difficult to explain here, especially as the ideas are complicated and involved, and include a number of flavors and spices that should probably be reserved for my future business.
I remember reading about a pastry chef, Jordi Roca, and being completely fascinated by his passion for scents.
Check this out:
It doesn't detail this here, but in addition to recreating sensory memories, the Rocas create desserts mimicking emotions. The pastry chefs have caught on, and the art of chocolate has a long way to go. I will share more of my ideas in later posts :)
Jordi Roca :) An artist of scents
Think again my chocolate-loving friends! The taste of pine is surprisingly varied and often shockingly delicious. It's like eating Christmas. I should know...I am a closet pine needle addict...It's true! Every time I pass a pine tree, I absolutely MUST pluck a needle from it's branches and savor its flavor. With every chew I am surprised by the tastes that tingle my tongue. I've tried a few recently that taste JUST like tangerines, with a subtle pine flavor in the back of the throat. So imagine eating that orange straight from your stocking Christmas morning as you sit beneath the pine tree. DELICIOUS. A tangy, sprightly, emotive flavor.
I have been experimenting with mmm, we'll call them "mood truffles" or "mood chocolate." Do you remember that candy in "Because of Winn Dixie" that inexplicably makes everyone who eats it sad? And even more specifically, calls up the saddest memory in the life of the one who consumes it, darkening the mind like bittersweet chocolate.
I also love perfumes, and often lust after the perfume samples on luckyscent.com. An especially innovative perfume company, Comme Des Garcons, makes a line of fragrance called, "Incense." I read reviews for Zagorsk, so named after a holy spot in Russia. It has notes of pine and snow (possible?) and melancholy. Truly, like distilled sadness to spray on a pale & slender wrist. Reading the reviews, users were waxing poetic, about being "abandoned" in a winter field, scarf stuffed against your face, and pines all around, the lonely call of a cathedral crackling on the crisp winter air. They all said something similar, "Sad." One of my favorite reviews: "It's the smell of a thought. The most evocative thought one could have: a sad thought but that plunges its root deep in time. Superb!"
As taste and smell are intrinsically connected, couldn't a "sad" chocolate be made too, like that strange confection from "Because of Winn Dixie"? Of course, most people wouldn't be interested in becoming sad from truffles (and that bothersome spike in serotonin caused by cacao may interfere with the mood anyhow) but this opens a fascinating world to innovative chocolatiers, or fondeurs. I know it does for me.
Much of this is subjective- what makes pine and a combination of other scents "melancholy" or "sad" is simply the associations people have with pine needles and snow. It helps then, to make the packaging and accompanying story a part of the poem, a part of the art. Incorporate mystic traditions, poetry, mythology, love. I want to make each chocolate collection a love poem to the world, each collection expressing a different place (Chicago scents, diversity, the city rain, and buildings cutting atmosphere in gray) or feeling, or time of life (a wedding collection of exquisite flavors, softness, rose, and then sweetness, deep strong flavors of passion, each truffle expressing another delicious moment of a couple in love). Truffles in carved wooden boxes, covered with art, truffles wrapped in newspaper clippings, boxes and packaging simulating something entirely different, chocolate seen in different lights. It is very difficult to explain here, especially as the ideas are complicated and involved, and include a number of flavors and spices that should probably be reserved for my future business.
I remember reading about a pastry chef, Jordi Roca, and being completely fascinated by his passion for scents.
Check this out:
"Pastry chef Jordi Roca is obsessed with perfume. When he isn't cooking at El Celler de Can Roca, the Michelin two-star in the Spanish Catalan town of Girona, the 26-year-old is hanging out in the fragrance aisle of his localSephora; when he returns to Celler, he reproduces the aromas of popular fragrances in his desserts. His dish of plumlike Japanese loquats with warm peach cream and apricot sorbet, with its notes of rose, vanilla and honey, uncannily replicates Lancôme Trésor (diners are handed a scent stick to compare). To mimic Calvin Klein Eternity, Jordi layers sorbet made with the orange-scented herb bergamot, basil gelée, vanilla cream and a mandarin orange granita. "Perfume has so many edible ingredients—flowers, herbs, spices," he explains, "so the food connection is natural." Not surprisingly, Jordi's preference is for fruity perfumes.
Jordi is not the only member of the family fascinated with fragrance. His older brother Joan, the chef at Celler, creates dishes based on sensory memories—his tiny clams with fennel cream and seaweed gelée remind him of time he spent on the Costa Brava as a child. Now, with their brother Josep, one of Spain's best-known sommeliers, Jordi and Joan are applying their extraordinary noses to food and wine pairings at their new restaurant,Moo, in Barcelona's Hotel Omm. "
It doesn't detail this here, but in addition to recreating sensory memories, the Rocas create desserts mimicking emotions. The pastry chefs have caught on, and the art of chocolate has a long way to go. I will share more of my ideas in later posts :)
Jordi Roca :) An artist of scents
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