Rick The Bartender's "Minty Chocolate Martini"
In house cocktail bartender Gaby shows her skills making signature cocktails - orchard sour and white chocolate passion fruit martini.
Labels: Cocktails, Importance, Microphone, Placement
Me drinking a disgusting concoction of chocolate cake, butter, martini, biscuit and birthday cake at my friends' 21st...all for free drinks :P
When you are in the market for chocolate, you will wind up doing a lot of research through consumer magazines, products reviews and the Internet in order to get the best information and chocolate facts. Knowing what to look for in the highest quality will make your choice a lot easier.
Dark chocolates are made without milk as an additive. Milk chocolate is made with milk powder or condensed milk added. White chocolates are a confection based on cocoa butter without the cocoa solids. Unsweetened is pure chocolate liquor, also known as bitter or baking chocolate. Couverture is a term used for chocolates rich in cocoa butter. Bittersweet is chocolate liquor to which some sugar, more cocoa butter, vanilla and sometimes lecithin has been added. It has less sugar and more liquor than
semisweet chocolate. Compound chocolate is the technical term for a confection combining cocoa with vegetable fat, usually tropical fats and/or hydrogenated fats, as a replacement for cocoa butter.
Cocoa powder. There are two types of unsweetened baking cocoa available: natural cocoa and Dutch-process cocoa. Both are made by pulverizing partially de-fatted chocolate liquor and removing nearly all the cocoa butter. Natural cocoa is commonly used in recipes while Dutch-process cocoa is frequently used for drinks. Chocolate is a product based on cocoa solid and/or cocoa fat.
Chocolates contain phenylethylamine which is a mild mood elevator and anti-depressant. It happens to be the same chemical that produces the love or happiness feeling in our brains. It also contains a very small amount of caffeine. It is also considered an aphrodisiac. Very much like red wines, fruits, teas and vegetables, cocoa seeds contain important antioxidants called flavonoids, and has been linked to cardiovascular health. Dark chocolates contain about twice as many antioxidants as the milk chocolates do. Not everything that tastes good is bad for you and chocolates is definitely one of them. While
chocolates and cocoa butter contain both saturated and unsaturated fat, but unlike many saturated fats the stearic acid in chocolates is a neutral fat and does not raise your bad cholesterol levels.
Proper storage and care is important and here is a short but very important list to ensure you will be enjoying every last bite. Store in a cool, dry place at approximately 65-70 degrees F. It can and will absorb aromas and odors of other foods stored around it and should be kept in mind when storing. For the most part the shelf life is around 1 year if stored properly. Do not store in the refrigerator, the moisture from the refrigerator will effect both the appearance and texture. The same is true with storing in high heat, this will cause a "bloom" effect which will not affect the taste but it definitely affects the appearance.
So, there you have it. Now that you have been given at least the basic information, the next step is up to you. Take these chocolate facts and make use of them, if your a chocoholic or know one these tips will benefit you for a lifetime.
1.) Nothing worth having is ever easy. I had no idea how hard it was to figure out how to make chocolate and once figured out, how difficult to turn it into the amazing treat we now love! The beans only grow in a certain part of the world, and the trees are very fragile and hard to cultivate. Once you manage to grow cocoa trees, the beans are harvested, roasted and shelled, then ground to form cocoa liquor. The liquor is pressed to squeeze out the cocoa butter. Later the cocoa butter gets put back in (if it's good chocolate). A few other things are added, then the mixture is conched (or mixed with a conching machine) for up to 3 days at temperatures between 140 and 167 degrees! Then it has to be tempered (or cooled) just right-and then molded. Mess up at any step and the whole batch is ruined. Holy cow! Who knew?
2.) Persistence is a key to success. Milton Hershey failed in his first two candy making ventures. He blew it, lost everything-twice! If he quit then, we'd never have had a Hershey Bar or a Hershey's Kiss!!
3.) Have a passion-something in your life or your work you are excited about. Milton Hershey became passionate about helping young boys whose parents could no longer care for them. Profits from the chocolate business helped these boys have a better life. His school still operates today. Forrest Mars wanted to build an empire-he was passionate about selling his products all over the world. The number one selling chocolate bar worldwide today? The Mars Bar. Passion keeps us engaged and passion fuels all great accomplishments. What are you passionate about? If the answer is nothing, you need to get connected to something. Otherwise you'll miss out on being everything you can be and enjoying your journey there.
4.) Stop eating and start tasting. I love chocolate (actually I love most food), and I've been eating it since I was a kid. But I never really tasted it. I went to my first chocolate tasting at Hershey (which is much like a wine tasting) where I was told to use all my senses; even listening to chocolate as we snapped tasting squares. The darker the chocolate, the more distinctive the snap. Milk chocolate is too soft to really snap. I learned that a cocoa tree grown by an orange tree can actually absorb some of the citrus flavor which may be tasted in the resulting chocolate. Chocolate from different regions has different flavors. Who knew? But here's the bigger lesson-we go through life eating and not tasting. We're in such a hurry to get to the next step-the next big deal, the end of the day, the wedding-whatever it is, that we miss all the nuance, all the rich detail of the current moment. Spring is a great season to really taste-notice the flowers, the birdsong, this gorgeous world we take for granted. Eat a piece of fresh fruit and savor the juice, the color, the texture. There is more to everything than meets the eye-and we are usually in too much of a rush to notice.
5.) Go deeper. I am always amazed by people who don't read, who visit the same places, who pretty much have quit learning anything new about themselves or about the world. To me this is like going through life with your eyes closed. The minute you learn something new, your world expands. And it's exciting! Now when I eat chocolate, I think of Milton Hershey and his struggles in making it, or I eat an M & M and remember how hard it was to get Americans to buy them at first. I try to really savor what I eat and understand what "mouth feel" means when a Lindt truffle melts in my mouth. Pick anything that interests you and go deeper-learn about it. If it's a person, ask them about their childhood or what their dreams are-there is so much more to the world and everything in it! Don't let the demands on your time keep you in the shallows of life.
6.) Have fun! I can't help but associate chocolate with fun. I didn't see any sad faces at the World of Chocolate in Hershey. Adults and children alike were having a blast - it was like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory without the creepiness factor. Somehow we have come to think of chocolate as bad (except limited quantities of dark chocolate for the health benefits), and we're just too busy to have fun. Who can waste time at a chocolate tasting where there is e-mail to check? Right, who can waste time living where there is work to do? Trust me-there will always be work, but real fun is getting harder and harder for us to find. Or maybe allow ourselves to find. Sitting in the theater in the World of Chocolate as bubbles came down from the ceiling and 3D Reese's Pieces flew off the screen-I was laughing with delight. When was the last time you laughed with sheer delight? If you can't remember, it's been way too long.
7.) Don't take things for granted. Did you know that the regions in which the cocoa trees grow has been experiencing drought and over harvesting? That some types of cocoa beans are almost extinct? Can you imagine a world without chocolate? Now, clearly that is far too horrifying to contemplate for long. And Milton Hershey would be aghast-his vision was to make chocolate affordable, not just something for the very rich-and that was what he did with his original Hershey Bar. We take many things for granted-our loved ones, our health, chocolate. Nothing is forever-savor it now. Seize the day-eat chocolate!
Labels: Chocolate, Motivation
From the Mayans to the Aztecs. From the Aztecs to the Spaniards. From the Spaniards to the Europeans. Then finally to the US. Long road for the "food of the Gods" to travel.
The history of chocolate is full of amazing stories surrounding its' origins. The cacao plant, the Theobroma (Greek word for food of the Gods), was originally used by the Mayan culture as an alcoholic beverage. It was fermented and mixed with cornmeal, vanilla beans and chiles. The taste was bitter and the beverage was used mainly for religious ceremonies.
When the Aztecs came along, the custom was adopted and cacao plants were planted for the use of the Native peoples elite. These beans had been used by the Mayans for trading purposes, so the Aztecs, realizing the cacao plants were like gold, used the plant to trade for everything from goods to slaves.
Along come the Spanish. Columbus and Cortez are attributed to bringing chocolate to Spain. The harsh, bitter beverage, though, was difficult for Spaniards to get used to. So they started adding sugar and cinnamon to the beverage for a more appealing taste. This new version of the chocolate drink was kept a secret for many years before it reached Europe.
Once reaching Europe, after the 1600's, additions were made to chocolate, like adding milk and vanilla and sugar to make it desirable to a greater portion of the population. In the 1900's, chocolate became even more popular. Chocolate bars were created that touted the health advantages of eating chocolate. Chocolate contains flavonoids that are a source of antioxidants and can help the body keep the arteries from clogging thus creating a healthy blood flow and keeping your blood pressure lowered. Read this article (http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/3464/) to get the information on the nutritious and healthful effects of chocolate.
From the 1900's on, people became aware of the industrialization of chocolate. For those of you not familiar with this time in history, please check out the many books available in the library, your local bookstore or the Internet detailing the accounts of the historical evolution of chocolate.
As for Mexican Chocolate, if you have never tasted a piece of this delicious confection, it will probably be an interesting, if not unusual delight to the senses. Much like the Spaniards attempting to drink the original Mayan chocolate (bitter) drink, most people today relate chocolate to the type of confection that is manufactured today into a smooth and easy melting piece of candy. Mexican chocolate is made from roasted and ground cacao nibs (dark and bitter chocolate), sugar and cinnamon and sometimes ground almonds. It is granular in texture and is packaged in round disks scored into wedges. The impression left on the palate will astound you.
This "food of the Gods" is used for preparing many wonderful dishes and beverages, not just dessert. Mole is a wonderful sauce prepared with a mixture of red chile and Mexican chocolate. It is poured over chicken and enchiladas to give it a thick and rich flavor. Chocolate Martinis are a new and tasty trend for those who like to imbibe.
If you are a chocoholic, treat yourself to a new experience and try some Mexican Chocolate. Taste it, cook with it, and maybe you can even trade with it like the Mayans once did. Here are a couple of Mexican Chocolate recipes to try out for a new sensation -- well maybe not new. After all, it's been around since 1400 BC!
©2008
Chocolate Martinis
(Makes 2 servings)
Chocolate-Chile Powder*, for rims of glass
1 shot chocolate liqueur
1 shot chocolate vodka
1 shot tequila
1 shot coffee flavor liqueur
1 shot half and half (optional)
Chocolate-Chile Powder*
2 tablespoons Mexican Chocolate ground into powder
1 tablespoon ground red chile powder
Mix Chocolate Chile Powder ingredients completely and spread out over an open dish. Moisten rims of margarita glasses and dip into the Chocolate-Chile Powder.
For margaritas:
Fill a shaker with ice. Add margarita ingredients. Shake for about a minute. Pour into garnished margarita glasses.
Mexican Chocolate Brownies
Brownies:
½ cup all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ round disc Mexican chocolate, pulverized
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, diced, room temperature
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
Topping:
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
½ round disc Mexican Chocolate, pulverized
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons whipping cream
For brownies: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°. Generously butter an 8x8x2 inch metal baking pan; dust with flour. Mix first three ingredients in small bowl. Stir chocolates and butter in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted. Stir until smooth. Turn off heat. Let chocolate stand over water.
Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until mixture thickens and falls in soft ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture in 2 additions, blending well after each. Gradually add warm chocolate to egg mixture, beating until just combined. Stir in walnuts.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake brownies until top is set and tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.
For topping: Whisk all ingredients in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Pour evenly over brownies in pan.
Chill brownies until topping is set, about 2 hours. Cut into 16 squares.
Enjoy!
Labels: Chocolate, Contest, Hersheys, Hoodie, Medium, Merseybeat, Mexican, Microphone
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Labels: Ladies