Earl Grey tea, Ginger root, and Sour cherry chocolate truffles recipes

April 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Ginger root, earl grey tea and sour cherries chocolate truffles

Chocolate truffles are the easiest of the chocolate confections  to make and one of the best “medium” for experimenting with flavors.  Luckily, Passover is celebrated for 8 days, so you should have another opportunity to prepare these and surprise your family and friends.

You do not need any special equipment, except if you feel like to splurge, you may want to purchase a chocolate tempering machine. They are quite expensive, but if they really work (which may not always be the case), they worth the expense because they taking the uncertainty out of the equation. But more about this another time.

It is a good idea to buy some disposable pastry bags and dipping forks, both of which can be found in a candy-making supply shop or the larger cookware stores, like Williams-Sonoma, Sur la Table, Crate and Barrel, and others.

The followings are the recipes I used in the creations of the truffles shown above; I would be curious to hear from you if you used other types of ingredients, different ratios of cream-to-chocolate, or butter-to-chocolate: how did the truffles taste? how did they look? why did you select those ingredients, etc.?

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EXOTIC LOVE-FRUITS FOR YOUR VALENTINE’S DAY

February 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment

“A perfectly ripe piece of fruit shared with your lover is a true romantic moment.”


While I am writing this post, I cannot help but think: why are we talking, writing, and reading about foods with aphrodisiac properties only for a few weeks leading to Valentine’s Day? Are we interested to have a great sex life for a week or two annually, then back to doldrums? I would hope not.  I suggest we keep these posts, articles, books handy all year long (mainly scattered in the bedroom, the kitchen, the bathroom, etc., ) and consult them daily. I am confident we will be a happy society with no time to kvetch or revolt; our production of goods and services would skyrocket, our economy would flourish and we would live happily ever after….

So, let me know what you think about this suggestion.

At first I wrote about the mythology of aphrodisiac, how it derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love; and how some foods became labeled as aphrodisiac and used as sexual stimulant …….and then it dawn on me that this story must be getting out of your elbow by now, so I discarded that draft. However, I still love the story of Paris, the young prince of Troy who was charged with choosing “the fairest” of three goddesses to be the recipient of the golden apple. Hera, goddess of marriage and birth, offered Paris riches and dominion over all men. Athena, goddess of wisdom and war, promised Paris knowledge and renown as the bravest, most invincible of heroes. Then the goddess of love and beauty spoke. In a sweet voice, teasing with laughter, Aphrodite said, “Choose me and I will give you love and the most beautiful woman in the world for your wife.” Of course, Paris chose Aphrodite and true to her word, she introduced him to the lovely Helen, wife of the King of Sparta. Paris proceeded to abduct Helen and the rest is, as they call it, myth history; think Trojan War!

Let me know if you share my sentiment, or you hate this story too?

Anyway lets get back to the title of this post and talk about the variety of exotic sensual fruits that in the right circumstances, can get your sexual energies flowing; so keep them handy at all times.

I’d like to start with my favorite one (as our domain name implies): FIGS

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SAY GOODBY TO MISMATCHED LIBIDO THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

February 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Premium Chocolate Mousse for Two

People say “Forget Love. I’d rather fall in chocolate.” I say, why choose?? With legend, lore, and even science suggesting that chocolate may have aphrodisiac properties, love and chocolate seems like a match made in heaven. There is nothing more stimulating than sharing a great chocolate dessert (in many different ways) with your lover in a lively surroundings.

CHOCOLATE – THE FOOD OF LOVE

As you know, aphrodisiacs are substances that enhance our libido.  Modern science has confirmed that eating chocolate causes the brain to release certain neurotransmitters (i.e. endorphins, serotonin, and phenylethylamine) that enhances our “happy” moods. Endorphins cause feelings of euphoria and trigger the release of sex hormones. Serotonin is a “necessary” chemical in our brain if we want to be in a “happy” mood and wish to be aroused. If we have low serotonin levels in our brain it is nearly impossible to feel aroused or get into the feeling of sexual pleasure. Phenylethylamine (PEA) increases the pulse rate and feelings of excitement, resulting in sensations similar to those experienced when one is in love.  As you can see these are real desirable ingredients (that is why I make sure that I eat at least three times a day about 2-3 ounces of dark chocolate with 66% or higher cacao content) I guess your next question is: “And how is your sex life?”; Well, I will let your imagination run wild with that one. The only secret I will let you on is that my grandchildren cannot visit me unannounced.

Chocolate’s reputation as an aphrodisiac extends as far back as our knowledge of chocolate itself. Aztecs believed that chocolate aroused men and made women less inhibited; reportedly, the Aztec emperor Montezuma drank 50 goblets of chocolate each day to enhance his sexual performance ( I wonder what 50 goblets equals to today’s measurements? Am I near with 6-9 ounces/day?) Naturally, when the Spanish explorers carried this exotic food back to Europe, its reputation went along for the ride. Chocolate has been a traditional gift for lovers ever since.

So, how should you prepare to make this the most memorable Valentine’s Day?  Whether you’re planning an unforgettable breakfast in bed, a romantic getaway on a Greek Island, or a secret “love in the afternoon” with that special someone, chocolate has to be on the menu.

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THE FANCY FOOD SHOW – THE UNIQUE, THE BOOZY, AND THE FAMOUS

January 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

I just came back from San Francisco, where I have attended The Fancy Food Show’s Winter Event at the Moscone Center. It is a three-day affair and you better be prepared to get callouses on your feet and rumbling in your digestive system if you want to see and taste the most products.  I also had some fun at the Summer Event in New York City, so I was attempting to compare the two events.

Some obvious difference hit me nearly immediately following entering the Exhibit Halls:

  1. Exhibitors in this event (SF) appeared to be more generous
  2. The tasting pieces were larger as compared to the bites in the Summer Event
  3. More companies offered to taste their products.
  4. More “boozy” products were presented, so you could get drunk if you so desired.

Talking about alcohol, I must admit I tasted a few things myself, but mainly because of their uniqueness and health promoting qualities (believe that and believe in Santa Clause).  My first visit took me to a company named “The Gingerpeople”; I truly like ginger and where else could I find so many products with the main ingredient being ginger. Aside from that I saw that they won the coveted Sofi Award for some of their sauces; not to mention all the other awards they collected over a 10-year period while presenting their innovative products in these events. I was curious to taste these winners. While I have enjoyed myself at their counter, they informed me that at 3 pm they will be conducting a “happy ginger hour”, using their Ginger GizerR and Ginger SootherR as the base. I immediately setup my cell phone to buzz me at 2:45 pm.

Upon arriving to their booth, they started to serve us nearly immediately, despite the fact that there were no other customers. First I tasted  the “Gingerita”, which, as its name implies contained Tequila, but based on the taste, not more than a few droplets; then I moved to “Gingerini” (supposedly with Vodka) that had a very similar feel and flavor. To be fair, both drinks were refreshing and quite tasty, not to mention healthy, but I could drive safely following pouring down a couple of these.

They provide all kind of recipes in their handouts, as well as on their website, so I thought to present here a sample mix (a slight variation from the “Gingerpeople’s”)

Meyer GingeritaR (copyright by CAF.com)

Ingredients
3 oz Ginger GizerR (contains: 3 distinctive ginger ingredients)
1 1/2 oz Tequila (preferably Marquez de Valencia Tequila Reposado)
1/2 oz Grand Marnier
1/2 oz Freshly squeezed Meyer Lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
1/2 oz Freshly squeezed lime juice (about nearly 1 lime)
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground ginger mixed with the zest of one Meyer Lemon (1/2 oz fresh ginger)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Meyer Lemon wedge for garnish

CAF’s Mixing Method

In a cocktail shaker, add ice, Tequila, freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed lime juice, and Grand Marnier. Shake vigorously for a full 2 minutes.  On a separate plate mix the freshly ground ginger, the zest of the Meyer lemon and 1/4 teaspoons salt. Moisten the rim of he margarita glass with the Ginger GizerR and dip the rim of the glass into the ginger/lemon/salt mixture. Pour the Ginger GizerR into the cocktail shaker and stir it (DO NOT SHAKE IT AT THIS TIME). Fill the glass with the drink, garnish it with a Meyer lemon wedge and CHEERS to your health! (Note: you can serve it on ice or straight up, depending on your personal preference).

I was looking forward to tasting as many things as possible during the 2-days I planned to stay, but even with the extension of my stay to 3 days, it was an impossible task. In addition, I made a most unfortunate error by not preparing my press ID and as a result I could not enter with my camera. I will try to be very descriptive in these posts that cover this fabulous event, even dough I know that no writing can replace the “pictures worth a 1000 words”.

Another ginger place I liked, called Fever-Tree, from London. They create refreshing carbonated drinks without any artificial sweeteners; I tasted the Ginger Beer and the Ginger Ale. Both were absolutely delightful and tasted nothing like the Ginger Ale I know from Canada Dry. I think we should all look for them at WholeFoods or the Food Emporium.

The largest crowd was seen at around the booth of the Charm City Cakes (Ace of Cakes show on FoodNetwork), particularly, when Duff Goldman, the owner of the place arrived.  Camera, flashlights and hooplas…….People were standing in long lines to get his “chicken scratch” on a piece of paper (or a fondant?); but seriously, he appears to be a personable, friendly guy, just as you see him on his show (if you did) and his employees were trying to answer as many questions as they could in between cutting colorful fondants into all kinds of shapes and sizes for one of their fun cake creations. This is the last season of the show – they will be missed.

Stay tuned for part 2.

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CHOCOLATES YOU MUST KNOW – TOP TEN CHOCOLATIERS

December 18, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Recchiuti Chocolate Samples

INTRODUCING THE SEVENTH CHOCOLATIER:

RECCHIUTI, SAN FRANCISCO

The Artisan:

The Bay Area is the epicenter of great artisanal chocolate products. Michael Recchiuti is one of the top masters of the trade and his chocolates are a true works of art.  He has a production facility in the southeastern section of San Francisco, and a successful, high profile shop in the Ferry Building.

The Chocolates:

The truffles and bonbons contain a perfectly smooth and silky-textured ganache with intense flavors and elegant presentation. We highly recommend that you do not miss out on this one if and when you are visiting the San Francisco area; however, if you can’t get there personally, you can make your order online and enjoy the entire box upon its arrival to your home. I can’t imagine a more elegant and extravagant gift than these delicate and perfectly balanced chocolate creations.

Michael Recchiuti produces a sublime Champagne Truffle with 2001 Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine and a delicate touch of powdered sugar, which is a must – and you will never buy truffles from anyone else. His crunchy sesame nougat is another stunner with its earthy depth, and addictive texture that lingers in one’s mouth for eternity. The Tarragon Grapefruit is a leap of faith into the unknown, but every bite is a reaffirmation of Recchiuti’s extraordinary talent. The Fleur de Sel (salted with French sea salt) contains a pleasantly chewy burnt caramel coated with dark chocolate; the flavors are nicely balanced and the burnt caramel is one of the best we have ever tasted (and we tasted plenty). In fact, we can honestly declare that Michael Recchiuti should be imitated by anyone that wants to create the perfect burnt caramel (not to mention, he should be inducted into the Hall of Fame as the World’s Best Burnt Caramel Producer)

Lemon Verbena is an extra-bitter, dark chocolate ganache with a bright and clear taste of Lemon Verbena, coated in dark chocolate with a beautiful white leaf pattern adorning the top surface. The chocolate is rich and refreshing at the same time. The Force Noir is made with extra-bitter chocolate ganache infused with whole vanilla bean. It is absolutely out-of-this-world; the extra-bitter chocolate gives a pure, clean, intense chocolate experience and the vanilla bean adds that sweetness you need to balance the bitterness. I cannot complete this review without mentioning the Piedmont Hazelnut chocolate. It is a beautiful piece with silky, buttery texture of the gianduja ganache complemented with the light crunchiness of the Piedmont hazelnut (the best in the world). We also ordered their Dragee Sampler which comes with Burnt Caramel Almonds, Hazelnuts, Peanut Butter Pearls, and Cherries Two Ways – WOW! Talking about indulging.

I own a copy of Michael’s book: “Chocolate Obsession” and I am glad I do. At first, I hesitated to purchase it because, being a chocolate snob, I decided that I had enough training; I do not need another book to tell me how to temper chocolate. I was surprised, however, that despite my resistance, I still learned  a few things or two from his book; not to mention the experimentation of creating some his recipes was truly events to remember.  Although I do not reproduce his creations in my repertoire (I do not think it would be fair), some of his techniques assisted me in developing my own master pieces.

The book primarily discusses the simple forms of chocolates (i.e. truffles, dipped and moulded chocolates), for the home maker, but I was delighted that he included his signature creation: the s’mores. In general, what I liked most about Michael’s book is the tone of his writing. When you reading the recipes, or the stories attached to it, you feel as if an old friend wants to share his knowledge with you in the most  intimate manner possible. Anyone interested to learn and experiment in working with chocolates should own a copy. Moreover, it is a great conversation opener when placed on your coffee table in the family room.

How to Order:

One can always order online: http://www.recchiuti.com. Recchiuti’s elegant signature is also evident on his website.  Every box is appealing and  every chocolate is described in the most tempting manner. They are listing their gift boxes, as well as their individual bonbons, from which you an create your own personalized candy box. They also sell sauces (see above the writeup about their burnt caramel); and chocolate bars  (We will review the bars in another upcoming post).

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CHOCOLATES YOU MUST KNOW CONTINUES – TOP 10 CHOCOLATIERS IN THE US

December 13, 2010 by 1 Comment

Great Gift

THE NINTH CHOCOLATIER: CHUAO CHOCOLATES

Chuao is the first Venezuelan chocolatier in the United States with a manufacturing facility in Carlsbad, California, but you can purchase the products nationwide, as well as online.

The Artisan:

Chef Michael Antonorsi of Chuao Chocolatier, named after the cacao-producing region of Chuao in Venezuela, makes Venezuelan chocolates in “French Style” (watch for the post that will discuss this in more details) that reflect the specific and very delicate nuances of the region where the bean is grown, because no beans from any other region are blended in to homogenize the flavor.

The Chocolates:

Most of Chuao’s creations are well-made and powerfully addictive; but not all. Perhaps they should be classified as Schedule II controlled chocolates? The bonbons that we tasted, some produced a rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture and deep flavor, while others left no lingering mouth feel, at all. In fact, we thought that the following two bonbons were a mismatch with respect to flavor, balance and a general taste:  GRANADA a milk chocolate bonbon with pomegranate caramel and caramelized walnut, enrobed  in dark chocolate and PARCHITA, another milk chocolate bonbon, that contains passion fruit blended into a soft caramel.  Nevertheless, most reviewers felt that Chuao chocolatiers excel in their dark chocolate bonbon creations; therefore, they deserve to be in the top 10 list.

The most surprise I had following our tasting event is that the Firecracker, that contains caramel fudge with chipotle and chile and enrobed with a layer of popping candy, the Chevere, with goat cheese, pear williams liqueur and crushed black pepper buttercream and the unique Pan Con Chocolate (pahn kon cho-ko-la-teh) that is created with roasted panko bread crumbs and olive oil ganache with a touch of sea salt, were absolutely fantastic and we thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of these eccentric pieces.  My absolute favorite, however, is the simple, but delightful almond marzipan topped with a roasted macadamia nut.

I know I said earlier that we are only reviewing and reporting here about bonbons, pralines and truffles but I cannot avoid mentioning (or rather admiring) their hot chocolate drinks. There are three different variations:

  • Spicy Maya
  • Winter
  • Abuela

The Spicy Maya, that contains pasilla chili, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon – WOW! this is real heat with a great kick. It is perfectly balanced between the “bittersweet” of the dark chocolate and the spiciness of the chili and cinnamon; it is the best “pick-me-up/warm-me-up”  drink on a cold, wintery day in front of your fireplace. The Winter, which has ginger, cloves, cinnamon and a touch of black pepper and tastes like as if Christmas is here; enjoy it. The traditional Abuela, which is just a great straightforward hot chocolate drink and is my favorite for its simplicity, while it brings together that wonderful elements of the Venezuelan-based chocolates.

How to order:

One can always order online: http://www.chuachocolatiers.com. They are listing their gift boxes, as well as their individual bonbons, from which you an create your own personalized candy box. Their chocolate bars are one of the best on the market and available in many supermarkets nationwide, as well as in selective independent chocolate retailers (We will review the bars in another upcoming post).

PS Chuao chocolatiers also sell sugar-free chocolates

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